# US 10,245,776 B2 · Methods for forming electronic devices with bent display edges > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,776 B2 - Document ID: US10245776B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/250,666 - Filed: 2011-09-30 - Published: 2013-04-04 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-30 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Jeremy C. Franklin; Scott A. Myers; Stephen Brian Lynch; John Raff - Inventors: Jeremy C. Franklin; Scott A. Myers; Stephen Brian Lynch; John Raff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245776B2 ## CPC - B29C 53/04: of plates or sheets {(B29C63/04 takes precedence; bending or folding paper B31F1/0003; folding films B65H45/00)} - G06F 1/16: Constructional details or arrangements - G06F 1/1601: {Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays (constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64)} - G06F 1/1633: {Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626} - G06F 1/1637: {Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing} - B29L 2031/3475: {Displays, monitors, TV-sets, computer screens} - Y10T 156/1043: Subsequent to assembly - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An electronic device may have a display with a bent portion such as one or more bent edge portions. The display may be formed from a flexible display layer such as an organic light-emitting-diode layer. The organic light-emitting-diode layer may include a substrate layer such as a sheet of polymer. The flexible display may be attached to a support structure such as a flexible support layer using adhesive. To facilitate bending, the display may be heated. Bending and heating equipment may simultaneously heat the display layer and the flexible support layer to form a bent edge portion for the display. The bending and heating equipment may include heated structures for pressing the display layer into a desired shape. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forming an electronic device with a display, wherein the display comprises a flexible display layer having a planar portion, comprising: attaching the flexible display layer to a support layer with adhesive; simultaneously applying pressure and heat to the flexible display layer and the support layer that bends the flexible display layer and the support layer to form a bent portion in the flexible display layer, wherein the bent portion is adjacent to the planar portion; forming a notch in the support layer to facilitate bending of the support layer, wherein the flexible display layer forms a continuous surface over the notch in the support layer; and mounting the display in an electronic device housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein simultaneously applying the pressure and heat comprises using a light source to produce light that heats the display. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein simultaneously applying the pressure and heat comprises using an ultrasonic signal generator to generate acoustic signals that heat the display. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein simultaneously applying the pressure and heat comprises applying hot air to the display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein simultaneously applying the pressure and heat comprises placing heated structures into contact with the display. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method defined in claim 5 wherein placing heated structures into contact with the display comprises using computer-controlled positioners to position the heated structures. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the bent portion comprises a bent edge portion and wherein bending and heating the flexible display layer comprises bending an edge portion of the flexible display layer at an angle to form the bent edge portion of the flexible display layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method defined in claim 7 wherein the flexible display layer comprises an organic light-emitting-diode display layer having a substrate layer and wherein bending and heating the flexible display layer comprises bending and heating the substrate layer to soften the substrate layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method defined in claim 7 wherein the support layer comprises at least one polymer layer and wherein simultaneously applying the pressure and heat comprises: bending and heating the polymer layer while bending and heating the flexible display layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method defined in claim 9 wherein forming a notch in the support layer comprises removing a portion of the polymer layer to facilitate bending of the polymer layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method defined in claim 9 wherein bending and heating the polymer layer comprises heating the polymer layer to a temperature of 30-85° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method defined in claim 7 wherein the flexible display layer has a planar portion, wherein the support layer comprises a stiffener, and wherein attaching the flexible display layer to the support layer comprises attaching the flexible display layer to the support layer such that the planar portion of the flexible display layer overlaps the stiffener. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method defined in claim 12 wherein the stiffener comprises a sheet of metal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein simultaneously applying heat and pressure to the display comprises heating the display while attaching the display to a support structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 further comprising attaching an edge of the display to a curved support structure using a clamp structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a support structure with a rounded corner and wherein simultaneously applying the pressure and heat to the display that bends the display comprises heating the display while attaching the display to the support structure so that the display conforms to the rounded corner. ### Claim 17 A method for forming an electronic device display, comprising: simultaneously applying heat and pressure to a flexible display layer to soften the display layer and bend an edge portion of the display layer to form a bent edge portion; attaching the flexible display layer to a rigid support structure having at least one compound curve, wherein attaching the flexible display layer to the rigid support structure comprises conforming a shape of the bent edge portion to a shape of the compound curve; and while the edge portion is bent, cooling the display layer to harden the display layer with the bent edge portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method defined in claim 17 wherein simultaneously applying the heat and pressure comprises compressing the flexible display layer between heated structures. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method defined in claim 18 wherein the display layer comprises an organic light-emitting-diode polymer substrate layer, the method further comprising: attaching the organic light-emitting-diode polymer substrate layer to a support layer; and simultaneously applying the heat and pressure to the support layer while simultaneously applying the heat and pressure to the flexible display to soften the support layer to facilitate bending of the support layer and the organic light-emitting-diode polymer substrate layer.