US-12628293-B2 - 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.

Inventors

• Dakota A Bass
• Erik G de Jong
• Sameer Pandya
• Shang L Tsuei
• Trent J Canales

Assignees

• APPLE INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240712

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An electronic device, comprising: a display layer having a bent tail; a housing wall comprising a first inwardly facing surface and a second inwardly facing surface; and molded polymer coupled to the first and second inwardly facing surfaces, wherein at least a portion of the bent tail is embedded in the molded polymer.
2. 2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the molded polymer comprises a ring-shaped polymer structure running along a peripheral edge of the display layer.
3. 3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a frame that is at least partially embedded in the ring-shaped polymer structure.
4. 4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising a threaded fastener, wherein the frame comprises at least one threaded opening configured to receive the threaded fastener.
5. 5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the housing wall comprises an opening that receives the threaded fastener.
6. 6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the housing wall has a recessed portion on the first inwardly facing surface that is configured to receive the bent tail.
7. 7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the housing wall has a locking lip that protrudes inwardly into the molded polymer.
8. 8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a frame that is at least partially embedded in the molded polymer.
9. 9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the bent tail comprises opposing first and second surfaces, a first portion of the molded polymer is coupled to the first surface, and a second portion of the molded polymer is coupled to the second surface.
10. 10 . An electronic device, comprising: a display layer having an array of pixels and opposing first and second surfaces; 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; and a molded polymer coupled to the inwardly-facing housing surface, wherein a portion of the display layer is embedded within the molded polymer, a first portion of the molded polymer is coupled to the first surface, and a second portion of the molded polymer is coupled to the second surface.
11. 11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the molded polymer is coupled to the display cover layer.
12. 12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the inwardly-facing housing surface is a sidewall surface, the housing further comprises a rear wall, and the molded polymer extends from the rear wall to the display cover layer.
13. 13 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the portion of the display layer comprises a bent tail.
14. 14 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the inwardly-facing housing surface is a first inwardly-facing housing surface, the housing further comprises a second inwardly-facing housing surface, and the molded polymer is coupled to the first and second inwardly-facing housing surfaces.
15. 15 . The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising: a frame that is at least partially embedded in the molded polymer.
16. 16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the frame comprises a metal frame.
17. 17 . An electronic device, comprising: a housing wall comprising an inwardly facing surface; molded polymer coupled to the inwardly facing surface; a display layer having a bent tail, wherein a portion of the bent tail is embedded in the molded polymer; and a frame, wherein the molded polymer is coupled to the frame, and the frame is coupled to the housing wall with a fastener.
18. 18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the molded polymer is molded over the frame.
19. 19 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the inwardly facing surface is a first inwardly facing surface, the housing wall further comprises a second inwardly facing surface, and the frame is coupled to the second inwardly facing surface with the fastener.
20. 20 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the fastener comprises a threaded fastener.

Description

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/701,516, filed Mar. 22, 2022, which 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 devic