# US 2019/0380217 A1 · Electronic devices incorporating flexible component layers with interlocking devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0380217 A1 - Document ID: US20190380217A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/464,634 - Filed: 2017-11-22 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-01 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Dylan T. Cosgrove; Catherine A. Leatherdale; Fay T. Salmon; Jun Fujita; Albert I. Everaerts - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190380217A1 ## CPC - A44B 18/0046: {Fasteners made integrally of plastics} - F16B 1/00: Devices for securing together, or preventing relative movement between, constructional elements or machine parts - G02F 1/133305: {Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film} - H04M 1/0268: {including a flexible display panel} - H05K 3/0058: {Laminating printed circuit boards onto other substrates, e.g. metallic substrates (H05K1/0281 takes precedence)} - H05K 5/0208: {Interlock mechanisms; Means for avoiding unauthorised use or function, e.g. tamperproof} - H05K 5/0226: {Hinges} - H05K 7/20963: {Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20972 takes precedence)} - H10K 77/111: {Flexible substrates} - F16B 2200/81: Use of a material of the hooks-and-loops type - H05K 1/148: {Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means} - H05K 3/4691: {Rigid-flexible multilayer circuits comprising rigid and flexible layers, e.g. having in the bending regions only flexible layers} - H05K 2201/055: Folded back on itself - H05K 2201/10128: Display - H05K 2201/2072: Anchoring, i.e. one structure gripping into another - H10K 2102/311: {Flexible OLED} - Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells - A44B: BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE (fastenings specially adapted for footwear A43C) - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Electronic Devices Incorporating Flexible Component Layers with Interlocking Devices At least some aspects of the present disclosure directs to an electronic device 100 comprising a rigid member 100A, 100B, a flexible component layer 130, and an interlocking device 110A, HOB disposed between the flexible component layer and the rigid member. The flexible component layer has at least two sections when the flexible component layer is flexed. The interlocking device comprises a first interlocking component attached to or integrated with the flexible component layer, and a second interlocking component attached to or integrated with the rigid member configured to engage with the first interlocking component, such that the engagement prevents the separation of the flexible component layer from the rigid member along a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of the rigid member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device, comprising: at least one rigid member; a flexible component layer having at least two sections when the flexible component layer is flexed; and an interlocking device disposed between the flexible display and one of the at least one rigid member, wherein the interlocking device comprises a first interlocking component attached to or integrated with the flexible component layer, and a second interlocking component attached to or integrated with one of the at least one rigid member configured to engage with the first interlocking component, such that the engagement prevents the separation of the flexible component layer from the at least one rigid member along a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of the at least one rigid member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one rigid member comprises two rigid components coupled together by a hinge mechanism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking device further comprises a coupling material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the coupling material has a thermal conductivity in a range of 0.02 W/m·K to 3.0 W/m·K. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the coupling material has a viscosity in a range of 5,000 cP to 10,000 cP. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the coupling material comprises at least one of metallic, dielectric and ferromagnetic materials. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first or the second interlocking component comprises a plurality of engagement elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein at least some of the engagement elements form a sliding channel ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first or the second interlocking component comprises a plurality of engagement rails. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the engagement rails extends from the first or second layer along an axis slanted from the corresponding layer. ### Claim 11 An electronic device, comprising: at least one rigid member; a flexible display layer having at least two sections when the flexible display is flexed; and an interlocking device disposed between the flexible display and one of the at least one rigid member, wherein the interlocking device comprises a first interlocking component attached to or integrated with the flexible display, and a second interlocking component attached to or integrated with one of the at least one rigid member configured to engage with the first interlocking component, such that the engagement prevents the separation of the flexible display from the at least one rigid member along a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of the at least one rigid member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one rigid member comprises two rigid components coupled together by a hinge mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the interlocking device further comprises a coupling material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the coupling material has a thermal conductivity in a range of 0.02 W/m·K to 3.0 W/m·K. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the coupling material comprises at least one of metallic, dielectric and ferromagnetic materials.