PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9817444-B2
Application Number: US-201615016772-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with flexible displays having fastened bent edges

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate with fastened bent edges. The flexible substrate may have an active region that includes an array of light-emitting elements such as organic light-emitting diodes. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may include portions of the inactive regions and portions of the active region. The bent edges may be wrapped to conform to the shape of an internal support structure. The bent edges may be fastened to the support structure with fastening members that attach a housing member or an internal clamp to the support structure. The bent edges may be secured between the housing member or the internal clamp and the support structure. The fastening members may be engaged in openings in the support structure and may pass through or alongside the bent edges.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display substrate having a first portion that defines a plane and a second portion that curves out of the plane; 
 an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels on the first and second portions of the display substrate; and 
 a mandrel having a curved surface, wherein the second portion of the display substrate is attached to the curved surface of the mandrel. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a display cover layer having a first portion that defines a plane and a second portion that curves out of the plane, wherein the organic light-emitting diode pixels display images through the first portion and the second portion of the display cover layer. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the display cover layer comprises glass. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a layer of adhesive that attaches the second portion of the display substrate to the curved surface of the mandrel. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the display substrate comprises a sheet of polymer. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a touch sensor having an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a housing and at least one attachment member that attaches the mandrel to the housing. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the at least one attachment member comprises a screw. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the mandrel and the housing each have an opening that receives the screw. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the mandrel comprises a recess and wherein the electronic device further comprises an electronic component mounted in the recess. 
     
     
       11. A display, comprising:
 a transparent cover layer having a first portion that defines a plane and a second portion that curves out of the plane; 
 a mandrel having an upper surface with a flat portion and a curved portion; 
 a polymer substrate on which an array of pixels are formed, wherein the polymer substrate is interposed between the transparent cover layer and the mandrel, wherein the array of pixels displays images through the first and second portions of the transparent cover layer, and wherein the polymer substrate has a curved edge that is attached to the curved portion of the upper surface of the mandrel. 
 
     
     
       12. The display defined in  claim 11  wherein the array of pixels comprises organic light-emitting diode pixels. 
     
     
       13. The display defined in  claim 11  wherein the transparent cover layer comprises glass. 
     
     
       14. The display defined in  claim 11  wherein the mandrel comprises at least one threaded screw hole. 
     
     
       15. The display defined in  claim 11  wherein the polymer substrate has a curved portion and wherein at least some of the pixels are located on the curved portion of the polymer substrate. 
     
     
       16. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted in the housing, wherein the display comprises an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels on a display substrate, an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, and a glass cover layer having a flat portion and a curved portion, and wherein the array of organic light-emitting diode pixels displays images through the flat and curved portions of the glass cover layer; and 
 a mandrel that supports the display, wherein the mandrel has a rounded edge and wherein the display substrate is attached to the rounded edge. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the housing has at least one curved sidewall. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the mandrel and the housing each comprise an opening, and wherein the opening in the mandrel is aligned with the opening in the housing. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 18  further comprising an attachment member that passes through the opening in the mandrel and the opening in the housing to attach the mandrel to the housing. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  further comprising an adhesive that attaches the display substrate to the rounded edge so that the shape of the display substrate conforms to the shape of the mandrel.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/247,124, filed Apr. 7, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/452,061, filed Apr. 20, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,724,304. This application claims the benefit of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/247,124, filed Apr. 7, 2014, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/452,061, filed Apr. 20, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,724,304, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, to displays for electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers and cellular telephones are often provided with rigid displays made from rigid display structures. Rigid display structures often include a significant amount of inactive border area for around the display for accommodating display circuitry for operating display pixels in an active region of the display. It is not uncommon for the width of the inactive border to be up to a centimeter wide or more. This type of wide inactive region tends to make displays bulky and requires the use of electronic device housings with wide bezels. 
     Flexible display technologies are available that allow displays to be flexed. In a typical flexible display, an array of light-emitting diodes such as organic light-emitting diodes may form a planar active display region on a flexible substrate. Inactive edge portions of the flexible substrate are sometimes bent away from the plane of the active region. However, a flexible substrate with bent edges can have a tendency to return to its original flat shape. This tendency can cause a bent portion to become separated from a mounting structure to which it is adhered or to exert an undesired force on another component or structure in the electronic device. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to minimize the width of the inactive region in a display and to otherwise improve displays for electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided that has a display such as a flexible display. Flexible displays may include organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. OLED displays contain display pixels that can produce illumination without using a separate backlight unit. 
     A flexible display may include a flexible light-emitting diode layer with bent edges. The flexible light-emitting diode layer may include a flexible sheet of polymer or other flexible substrate. An array of light-emitting diodes such as organic light-emitting diodes may form a planar active region on the flexible substrate. 
     The flexible display may be mounted to a rigid support structure such as a mandrel. The mandrel may be formed from aluminum, copper, plastic, glass, or other suitable rigid materials or combinations of materials. 
     The bent edges of the flexible display may be wrapped around an edge of the mandrel. The bent edges of the flexible display may be fastened to the mandrel in a bent position using a mounting structure that is attached to the mandrel. The bent edges of the display may be interposed between the mounting structure and the mandrel. 
     The mounting structure may be formed from aluminum, copper, plastic, glass, or other suitable rigid materials. The mounting structure may include a portion of a housing for the device or may be a standalone structure such as an internal clamping member. The mounting structure may be attached to the mandrel using screws, clips, adhesive or any other suitable fastening member so that the bent edges of the flexible display are secured between the mandrel and the mounting structure. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld electronic device with a display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a tablet computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of illustrative structures including a carrier structure and a support structure for fastening bent edges of a flexible display to the support structure using a portion of a device housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional perspective view an illustrative assembled electronic device having a flexible display with fastened bent edges in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of the electronic device of  FIG. 5  showing how bent edges of a flexible display may be wrapped around a support structure with a bend radius in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of the electronic device of  FIG. 5  showing how a support structure such as a mandrel may have a cavity for mounting internal components in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device having a display with bent edges that are fastened to a support structuring using an internal fastening structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of illustrative assembly equipment that may be used in fastening the bent edges of a flexible display to a support structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram showing how the assembly equipment of  FIG. 9  may be moved to fasten the bent edges of a flexible display to a support structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in fastening the bent edges of a flexible display to a support structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is an illustrative diagram showing how a bent portion of a flexible display that is fastened between a housing member and an internal support member may conform to the shape of a curved portion of the internal support member and an additional planar support member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is an illustrative diagram showing how a bent portion of a flexible display may be fastened between a housing member and multiple internal support members in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 14  is an illustrative diagram showing how a bent portion of a flexible display that is fastened between a housing member and an internal support member may conform to the shape of a curved portion of the internal support member and a curved portion of an additional support member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may include displays. Displays may be used to display visual information such as text and images to users. Displays such as flexible displays may include organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. 
     A flexible display may include a flexible organic light-emitting diode layer with bent edges. The bent edges of the display may be fastened to a support structure in the electronic device. The bent edges of the display may include active display pixels or may be devoid of active display pixels. The bent edges may include circuitry for routing signals to the active display pixels in the bent edges or in other active display portions of the display. 
     Illustrative electronic devices that may be provided with displays are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 . FIG.  1  shows how electronic device  10  may have the shape of a laptop computer having upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 . 
       FIG. 2  shows how electronic device  10  may be a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, or other compact device. 
       FIG. 3  shows how electronic device  10  may be a tablet computer. However, the examples of  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3  are merely illustrative examples. Electronic devices such as illustrative electronic device  10  of  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3  may be laptop computers, computer monitors with embedded computers, tablet computers, cellular telephones, media players, other handheld and portable electronic devices, smaller devices such as wrist-watch devices, pendant devices, headphone and earpiece devices, other wearable and miniature devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     Device  10  may have a housing enclosure such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which is sometimes referred to as a case or enclosure, may be formed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other composites, metal, aluminum, other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device  10  may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing  12  is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements or other internal housing structures). 
     Device  10  may have one or more displays such as display  14 . Display  14  may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display or other suitable display. Display layer  14  may include display pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electronic ink elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable display pixel structures compatible with flexible displays. Display  14  may, if desired, include capacitive touch sensor electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor array or other touch sensor structures (i.e., display  14  may be a touch screen). Touch sensor electrodes may be provided on a touch panel layer that is interposed between an organic light-emitting diode display layer and a transparent cover layer (e.g., a cover glass layer), may be formed on the underside of a cover layer, or may otherwise be incorporated into display  14 . 
     The display (sometimes referred to as the display layer, the OLED display, the flexible display or flexible OLED display) may have a planar rectangular active region in its center. The edges of the organic light-emitting diode display surround the active center region and form a rectangular peripheral ring. This border region may contain circuitry that does not emit light and is therefore referred to as the inactive portion of the display. The inactive portion of the display is shown as inactive border region  20  in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 . 
     To enhance device aesthetics, the width of inactive border region  20  that is visible from the front of the display may be minimized by bending portions of the flexible display downwards at an angle away from the planar central region into the device (e.g., along the boundary between the active region and the inactive region). For example, the edges of the flexible display may be folded (wrapped) so that they lie perpendicular to the plane of the active region or so that they lie partially underneath the plane of the active region. 
     When this type of arrangement is used, the width W of inactive border regions  20  of devices  10  of  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3  that is visible from the front of display  14  is minimized. Any minimal edge portion of display  14  that remains visible may be covered with a bezel or a portion of a display cover layer that is coated on its underside with an opaque masking layer such as black ink (as examples). A bezel may be formed, for example, from a stand-alone bezel structure that is mounted to housing  12 , from a portion of housing  12  (e.g., a portion of the sidewalls of housing  12 ), or using other suitable structures. 
     If desired, the width of inactive border region  20  that is visible from the front of the display may be further minimized by including a portion of the active region of the display in the bent edges of the flexible display. In this way, active display pixels in the flexible display may be formed across substantially the entire front surface of device  10 . When this type of arrangement is used, some of the active display pixels of the flexible display may be covered by a portion of the device housing (e.g., a bezel portion of the device housing) and may not be used for displaying information to a user. 
     In some situations a portion of the bent edges of the flexible display that contain active display pixels to be used for displaying images to a user of device  10  may be curved away from the inner surface of a cover layer such as a cover glass layer. In this type of arrangement, the cover glass layer may be provided with lensing capabilities (e.g., by attaching lenses to the cover glass layer or by forming lenses in the cover glass layer) to correct for optical distortions that may be caused by the separation between the active display pixels and the cover glass layer. 
     An exploded perspective view of an illustrative electronic device having a flexible display with fastened bent edges is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , device  10  may include a flexible display  14  with first and second portions  14 F and  14 E that are separated by a bend such as bend  15 . Bent portion  14 E (sometimes referred to as edge portion, or bent edge portion) may be perpendicular to a planar front portion such as front portion  14 F of display  14 . However, this is merely illustrative. Bent portion  14 E may be formed at any suitable angle with respect to front portion  14 F, front portion  14 F may be substantially non-planar, or bent portion  14 E may be a continuously curved portion that is wrapped around a rounded end of a support structure. 
     Front portion  14 F may be attached to a rigid carrier structure such as carrier structure  32  using an adhesive layer such as layer  36 . Adhesive layer  36  may be formed from a pressure-sensitive adhesive, liquid adhesive, light-cured adhesive, high bond adhesive or other suitable adhesive material. Adhesive layer  36  may be formed on a first (inner) surface of front portion  14 F. An opposing (outer) surface of front portion  14 F of display  14  may be covered by a cover layer such as cover layer  30 . Cover layer  30  may be formed from a rigid or flexible transparent material such as plastic or glass. Cover layer  30  may be substantially planar or may have a concave or convex shape. 
     Cover layer  30  may be attached to display  14  (e.g. using adhesive) or may be mounted adjacent to display  14  without any attachments to display  14 . If desired, cover layer  30  may include a portion such as portion  31  having lensing capabilities for correcting distortions in images generated by display pixels in portions of display  14  that are bent away from cover layer  30 . 
     Cover layer  30  may be attached to a housing member such as housing sidewall member  12 S (sometimes referred to as a sidewall member, a sidewall portion, a housing sidewall portion, or a band). Sidewall member  12 S may wrap around substantially all of an edge of device  10 . If desired, band  12 S may include portions that extend onto a front surface of device  10 . For example, a portion of band  12 S may cover a portion of cover layer  30 . Internal components such as antennas, buttons, switches, speakers or other components may be mounted under band  12 S. Openings may be provided in band  12 S to accommodate internal components. 
     Cover layer  30  may include a notch or recess for receiving band  12 S. Band  12 S may be formed from aluminum or any other suitable material. Device  10  may be enclosed by an enclosure formed from band  12 S and a rear housing member such as rear cover  12 R. Rear cover  12 R may be formed from a rigid material such as metal (e.g., aluminum). Carrier structure  32  may be mounted against a support structure such as support structure  34  (sometimes referred to herein as a mandrel). Mandrel  34  may include a protruding portion such as portion  44  that mounted along an edge of carrier structure  32 . Portion  44  may be mounted in contact with a display  14 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , portion  44  of mandrel  34  may include a first surface mounted in contact with front portion  14 F of display  14  and a second surface mounted in contact with bent edge portion  14 E of display  14 . Bent edge portion  14 E may be bent around an edge of mandrel  34 . In an assembled device, bent edge portion  14 E may be secured between mandrel  34  and a sidewall portion of band  12 S. 
     Mandrel  34  may include openings  46  configured to receive attachment members  40 . Openings  46  may, for example, be threaded screw holes. Attachment members  40  may include screws, clips, or other attachment members configured to be secured in openings  46 . Band  12 S may include openings such as holes  42 . Holes  42  in band  12 S may be aligned with holes  46  in mandrel  34 . Bent edge portions  14 E may be secured in a bent position by securing attachment members  40  in openings  46  through holes  42  and through bent edge portion  14 E of display  14 . In this way, band  12 S and bent edge portion  14 E may be fastened to mandrel  34  by biasing band  12 S toward mandrel  34  using fastening members  40 . 
     Mandrel  34  may include extended portions  48  having openings. Openings such as holes in extended portions  48  may be aligned with additional openings  50  in band  12 S. Attachment members  40  may be used to attach mandrel  34  to housing member  12 S. During assembly of device  10 , aligning openings in portion  48  with openings  50  in band  12 S may help in aligning display  14  with cover layer  30 . Openings  50  may, for example, be threaded screw holes or other openings configured to engage with attachment members  40 . Extended portions  48  may be used to provide a fixed or adjustable alignment with band  12 S. 
     Mandrel  34  may include openings such as openings  52  for receiving additional attachment members  40 . Attachment members  40  may be inserted through openings  52  to secure mandrel  34  to carrier  32 . Mandrel  34  may include an internal recess or cavity  56  for mounting internal components of device  10  (e.g., batteries, microprocessors, integrated circuits, speakers, etc.). 
     Rear housing member  12 R may include openings such as holes  58 . Holes  58  may be aligned with some of openings  50  in band  12 R. Attachment members  40  may be used to attach rear cover  12 R to band  12 S through holes  58  and openings  50 . Openings  58  may include an inner portion that passes through rear housing member  12 R and a relatively wider outer portion that extends only partially into member  12 R and is configured to receive a portion of attachment member  40 . For example, a wider outer portion of openings  50  may receive a screw head of a screw  40  so that member  12 R may be provided with a smooth exterior surface. 
     If desired, openings  42  in band  12 S may include an inner portion that passes through band  12 S and a relatively wider outer portion that extends only partially into member  12 S and is configured to receive a portion of attachment member  40 . For example, a wider outer portion of openings  42  may receive a screw head of a screw  40  so that member  12 S may be provided with a smooth exterior surface. 
     As shown  FIG. 5 , following assembly, the structures of  FIG. 4  may be configured to fasten (secure) edge portion  14 E between mandrel  34  and band portion  12 S of housing  12 . Protruding portion  44  of mandrel  34  may be mounted between an edge of carrier  32  and edge portion  14 E of display  14 . Cross-sectional views of device  10  taken along axes  60  and  62  are shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , in some regions of device  10 , mandrel  34  may substantially fill the space within the enclosure formed by portions  12 S and  12 R of housing  12  between carrier  32  and rear portion  12 R.  FIG. 6  also shows how bent portion  14 E of display  14  may be wrapped around a portion of mandrel  34  having a bend radius R. Bend radius R may, for example, be between 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm, between 0.1 and 0.9 mm, less than 0.4 mm, or greater than or equal to 0.9 mm. The shape of protruding portion  44  of mandrel  34  may be used to provide display  14  with a bend having a bend radius that is equal to the bend radius of portion  44  of mandrel  34 . If desired, active display pixels may be formed along substantially all of front portion  14 F of display  14  so that the edge portion of device  10  (as viewed from the front) is minimized having a width W. Width W may be determined by the size of engaging portions of cover layer  30  and band portion  12 S of housing  12 . As examples, width W may be between 1.0 and 1.3 mm, equal to 1.25 mm, less than 1.4 mm, more than 1.4 mm, less than 1.3 mm, less than 1.2 mm or less than 1.0 mm. 
     Cover layer  30  may include a notch  64  for receiving a corresponding notch in band  12 S. Band  12 S may be attached to cover layer  30  (e.g., by forming adhesive such as a glue bead between notched portion  64  of cover layer  30  and a corresponding notched portion of band  12 S) or band  12 S may be abutted against cover layer  30  without any intervening adhesive. 
     Edge portion  14 E of display  14  may include an inactive portion such as portion  78 . Inactive portion  78  may be devoid of display pixels. Inactive portion  78  may include circuitry that does not emit light such as conductive routing lines for routing display signals from display control circuitry in device  10  to the display pixels in active display portions of display  14 . Inactive portion  78  may include substantially all of bent portion  14 E or some parts of bent portion  14 E may include active display pixels. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , in some regions of device  10  (e.g., along axis  62  of  FIG. 5 ), mandrel  34  may be provided with a cavity  56 . If desired, cavity  56  in mandrel  34  may extend from carrier  32  to rear housing member  12 R or mandrel  34  may include portions such as portion  66  that extend along an inner surface of carrier  32  and portions such as portion  68  that extend along an inner surface of rear housing member  12 R. Internal components  70  may be mounted within cavity  56 . As examples, internal components  70  may be attached to rear housing member  12 R or carrier  32 . Internal components  70  may include batteries, microprocessors, speakers, integrated circuits, antennas, compasses, cameras, or other active or inactive components. 
     The configurations of device  10  shown in  FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7  are merely illustrative. If desired, bent portions of display  14  may be fastened in a bent position using an internal fastening structure such as a clamp as shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , in some configurations, cover layer  30  may have a curved portion such as curved portion  30 C. Bent portion  14 E of display  14  may be formed along an inner surface of cover layer  30  so that bent portion  14 E conforms to the curved shape of curved portion  30 C. Rear housing member  12 R may include a curved portion  88 , if desired. Curved portion  88  of rear housing member may be attached to curved portion  30 C of cover layer  30  (e.g., using an adhesive between portions  88  and  30 C or by attaching portion  88  and portion  30 C to an additional housing member such as sidewall housing member  12 S). 
     In the example of  FIG. 8 , mandrel  34  includes a rounded edge portion. Bent portion  14 E of display  14  may be wrapped around the rounded edge of mandrel  34 . If desired, display  14  may be attached to mandrel  34  using an adhesive layer  80 . Adhesive layer  80  may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a liquid adhesive, a light-cured adhesive, a high bond adhesive or any other suitable adhesive material. If desired, an additional layer of adhesive such as layer  84  may be provided between an outer surface of display  14  and an inner surface of cover layer  30 . If desired, a portion of adhesive layer  84  may be formed between curved portion  88  of housing member  12 R and the outer surface of display  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , portion  85  of display  14  having display pixels may include front portion  14 F and part of bent portion  14 E of display  14 . Display pixels  85  in bent portion  14 E may include active and inactive display pixels. Portion  78  of display  14  may be devoid of active display pixels. 
     Bent portion  14 E of display  14  may be fastened to mandrel  34  using an internal fastening structure such as clamp  72 . Clamp  72  may be biased against portion  14 E of display  14  by a fastening member  76  (e.g., a screw or a clip) that engages with engaging structures (e.g., threads, protrusions or other engaging structures) in openings  74  in mandrel  34 . Clamp  72  may be provided with a recess such as recess  90  for receiving a portion of fastening member  76 . For example, recess  90  may be configured to receive a screw head associated with fastening member  76 . 
     If desired, clamp  72  may be provided with a recess such as cavity  82 . Internal components such as internal components  70  of  FIG. 7  may be mounted within cavity  82 . 
     Bent portions  14 E of display  14  may be fastened to mandrel  34  with clamp  72  using assembly equipment such as assembly equipment  92  of  FIG. 9 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , assembly equipment  92  may include a fixed mounting member such as member  94  and one or more movable pushing members  96 . Pushing members  96  may include actuating members  98  for moving pushing members  96  against edge portions of display  14 . For example, actuating members  98  may be threaded screws that, when turned, provide a lateral force that moves pushing members against display  14 . 
     Fixed mounting member  94  may include curved features such as surface curve  97  having a shape that corresponds to the shape of the rounded edges of mandrel  34 . 
     Pushing members  96  may each have curved features such as surface curve  99  with a shape that corresponds to the shape of the rounded edges of mandrel  34 . In this way, equipment  92  may be configured to conform edge portions  14 E of display  14  to the rounded edges of mandrel  34 . 
     If desired, a cavity for receiving electronic components (e.g., electronic components  70  of  FIG. 7 ) may be formed in region  82  of clamp  72  before or after attaching clamp  72  to support structure (mandrel)  34 . 
       FIG. 10  is a diagram showing how assembly equipment  92  may be used to conform and attach edge portions  14 E of display  14  around the rounded edges of mandrel  34 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , clamp  72  may be positioned at original position  100  with respect to fixed member  94  and pushing member  96  may be positioned at original position  108  with respect to member  94 . Display  14  may be attached to mandrel  34  in a substantially flat position (e.g., using adhesive layer  80  of  FIG. 8 ). If desired, display  14  and mandrel  34  may include alignment marks  101 A and  101 B respectively for aligning display  14  to mandrel  34 . 
     Mandrel  34  and attached display  14  may be pressed against member  94  so that curved surface  97  presses portions  14 E of display  14  into position  114 . While mandrel  34  and attached display  14  are pressed against member  94  and portion  14 E is in position  114 , pushing member  96  may be moved in direction  112  from position  108  to position  110 , thereby pushing portion  14 E of display  14  in to position  116  as indicated by arrow  118 . 
     After pushing member  96  is in position  110  and portion  14 E of display  14  is in position  116 , clamp  72  may be moved in direction  106  from position  100  to position  102 . Moving clamp  72  in direction  106  from position  100  to position  102  may press portion  14 E of display  14  in to position  121  against the inner surface of mandrel  34  as indicated by arrow  119 . While clamp  72  is in position  102  and portion  14 E of display  14  is held by clamp  72  in position  121 , fastening member  76  may be engaged in opening  74  of mandrel  34 , thereby fastening bent edge portion  14 E of display  14  in bent position  121  against mandrel  34 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 10 , fastening member  76  is implemented as a screw having threads  122  for engaging with engagement features such as threading structures  120  in opening  74 . However, this is merely illustrative. Fastening member  76  may be engaged in opening  74  using any suitable type of engagement feature. 
     Illustrative steps that may be used in assembling an electronic device such as device  10  having bent edge portions  14 E that are fastened in bent position  121  against mandrel  34  are shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     At step  140 , a flexible display such as an OLED display may be attached to a support structure such as a mandrel (e.g., using adhesive). If desired, alignment marks may be used to align the display with the mandrel. 
     At step  142 , the mandrel and (attached) flexible display may be moved into contact with a fixed mounting member such as a display shaping structure. Moving the mandrel and flexible display into contact with the fixed mounting member may cause portions of the flexible display such as edge portions of the flexible display to be partially wrapped around the mandrel. 
     At step  144 , pushing members such as edge pushing members may be moved against the (partially wrapped) edges of the flexible display. Moving the pushing members against the edge portions of the flexible display may cause the edge portions to be further wrapped into a position under a clamp that is to be used for fastening the edge portions to the mandrel. 
     At step  146 , the clamp may be moved toward the mandrel and (attached) flexible display. Moving the clamp toward the mandrel and (attached) flexible display may press the edge portions of the flexible display against a surface of the mandrel. 
     At step  148 , the clamp may be attached to the mandrel. The clamp may be attached to the mandrel using fastening members such as screws that engage in openings in the mandrel. The fastening members may, if desired, pass through openings in the edge portions of the flexible display. 
     At step  150 , a display assembly having a mandrel, a clamp, and a flexible display with bent edge portions fastened to the mandrel using the clamp may be inserted into a housing enclosure for the electronic device. The housing enclosure may include one or more housing members. The mandrel and/or the clamp may include alignment structures such as openings for attachment members that help in aligning the display with the housing member. Inserting an assembled display assembly having a flexible display with fastened bent edges may help in assembling device  10  without placing unwanted stress on additional device components such as housing members. 
     At step  152 , a display cover layer such as a cover glass layer may be attached to the housing enclosure over the display. 
       FIG. 12  shows how a bent portion such as bent portion  14 E of flexible display  14  that is fastened between a housing member such as member  12 S and an internal support member such as fastening support member  153  may conform to the shape of a curved portion of fastening support member  153 . Curved portion  154  of member  153  may have a bend radius R. Display  14  may be wrapped around support members  151  and  153  so that bent edge portion  14 E conforms to the shape of member  153  and planar support member  151 . Member  153  may, for example, be a mandrel such as mandrel  34  ( FIG. 4 ). Member  151  may, for example, be a carrier structure such as carrier  32 . 
       FIG. 13  shows how bent edge portion  14 E of display  14  may be fastened between a housing member such as member  12 S and two or more internal support members such as support members  156  and  158 . In the example of  FIG. 13 , support member  156  and  158  meet at an interface formed along bent portion  14 E of display  14 . In this type of configuration, planar front portion  14 F of display  14  may be attached to an internal support structure such as member  156  having a curved portion  159  with a bend radius R. Display  14  may be wrapped around support members  156  and  158  so that bent edge portion  14 E conforms to the shape of member  156  and support member  158 . Member  158  may, for example, be a mandrel such as mandrel  34  ( FIG. 4 ). Member  156  may, for example, be a carrier structure such as carrier  32 . 
       FIG. 14  shows how bent edge portion  14 E of display  14  may be fastened between a housing member such as member  12 S and an internal support member such as support member  162  that forms, in combination with an additional internal support member such as member  160 , a surface having a bend radius R. Bent edge portion  14 E may be wrapped around members  160  and  162  so that display  14  conforms to the surface of curved portion  164  of member  160  and curved portion  166  of member  162 . Member  162  may, for example, be a mandrel such as mandrel  34  ( FIG. 4 ). Member  160  may, for example, be a carrier structure such as carrier  32 . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20160205
Publication Date: 20171114
Grant Date: 20171114
Priority Date: 20120420
Inventors: RAFF JOHN
MYERS SCOTT A.
STRINGER CHRISTOPHER
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04L1/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49002", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1601", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49002", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L51/0097", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1601", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49002", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04L1/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 49379909