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US 11,385,682 B2Granted
Foldable cover and display for an electronic device
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsChristopher D. Jones, Dale N. Memering, Christopher C. Bartlow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electronic devices including a display layer and a cover layer including a foldable region are disclosed herein. The display layer and the cover layer are configured to be moved between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration by bending the cover layer along the foldable region. Methods of making a cover layer for an electronic device are also disclosed.
Claims20
An electronic device comprising:
- a display;
- and
- a cover coupled to the display and defining an exterior surface of the electronic device, the cover comprising a continuous glass layer, the cover comprising:
- a first foldable region positioned between a first peripheral portion and a central portion of the continuous glass layer;
- and
- a second foldable region positioned between a second peripheral portion and the central portion of the continuous glass layer;
- a first array of recesses along a first interior surface of the continuous glass layer in the first foldable region;
- a second array of recesses along a second interior surface of the continuous glass layer in the second foldable region, each recess of the first and the second arrays of recesses filled with an index-matched polymer material, wherein:
- the electronic device is configured to move between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration by folding and unfolding the first and the second foldable regions of the continuous glass layer;
- and
- the display is configured to produce a graphical output along the first and the second foldable regions when the electronic device is in the unfolded configuration.
8 more elements
An electronic device comprising:
- a display;
- a housing coupled to the display;
- and
- a cover coupled to the display, defining an exterior surface of the electronic device, and comprising:
- a continuous glass layer, an interior surface of the continuous glass layer defining an array of relief features a relief within a foldable region of the continuous glass layer;
- and
- a respective filler disposed in each respective relief feature of the array of relief features and optically index matched to the continuous glass layer, wherein:
- the cover is configured to move between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration by folding and unfolding the foldable region of the continuous glass layer;
- the folded configuration defines a fold in the continuous glass layer;
- and
- each respective filler is disposed along an inside surface of the fold.
8 more elements
An electronic device, comprising:
- a display;
- and
- a laminate cover positioned over and coupled to the display, the laminate cover having a foldable region and comprising:
- a continuous layer formed of a glass material and defining an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface;
- a pair of adjacent layers, each layer of the pair of adjacent layers formed of a polymer material;
- an interface layer coupled to the interior surface of the continuous layer and an exterior surface of each layer of the pair of adjacent layers;
- and
- a filler material positioned within a gap defined between the pair of adjacent layers, the foldable region of the laminate cover extending through a thickness of the laminate cover and including the filler material, wherein the display and the laminate cover are configured to be folded along the foldable region.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.