Apple Inc.

Cyrus Y Liu

Kuo-Hua Sung

Silvio Grespan

John Z Zhong

Paul Stephen Drzaic

Victor H Yin

Sunggu Kang

Po-Jui Chen

Zhen Zhang

Bo Zhang

Chun-Hao Tung

Sang Ha Kim

Kiarash Vakhshouri

Sungwon Bae

Hui Chen

Heng-Hsi Wu

To C Tan

Shih-Min Hsu

Koohee Han

An electronic device may have a flexible portion that allows the device to be folded. The device may have a flexible display. The flexible display may have a flexible display layer, a cover layer, a touch sensor interposed between the flexible display layer and the cover layer, a support layer, and a polarizer layer. The polarizer layer may be interposed between the touch sensor and the flexible display or between the touch sensor and the cover layer. The touch sensor may include optically clear adhesive that is flexible and facilitates bending of the display. The optically clear adhesive may include additives such as water vapor penetration reducing additive, anticorrosion additive, ultraviolet-light blocking additive, and index-of-refraction adjustment additive. The support layer may be formed from shape memory alloy or amorphous metal and may have openings to facilitate bending.

Electronic devices with flexible displays

Components may have substrates with metal traces that form mating contacts. The components may be bonded together using anisotropic conductive adhesive bonding techniques. During bonding, conductive particles may be concentrated over the contacts by application of magnetic or electric fields or by using a template transfer process. Gaps between the contacts may be at least partially free of conductive particles to help isolate adjacent contacts. Polymer between the substrates may attach the substrates together. The conductive particles may be embedded in the polymer and crushed or melted to short opposing contacts together.

System with field-assisted conductive adhesive bonds

Anisotropic conductive film (ACF) structures and manufacturing methods for forming the same are described. The manufacturing methods include preventing clusters of conductive particles from forming between adjacent bonding pads and that are associated with electrical shorting of ACF structures. In some embodiments, the methods involve use of multiple layered ACF materials that include a non-electrically conductive layer that reduces the likelihood of formation of conductive particle clusters between bonding pads. In some embodiment, the methods include the use of ultraviolet sensitive ACF material combined with lithography techniques that eliminate conductive particles from between neighboring bonding pads. In some embodiments, the methods involve the use of insulation spacers that block conductive particles from entering between bonding pads. Any suitable combination of the described methods can be used.

Anisotropic conductive film structures

Structures in an electronic device such as substrates associated with a display may be bonded together using liquid adhesive. Fiber-based equipment may be used to apply ultraviolet light to peripheral edges of an adhesive layer during bonding. There-dimensional adhesive shapes may be produced using nozzles with adjustable openings, computer-controlled positioners, and other adhesive dispensing equipment. Ultraviolet light may be applied to liquid adhesive through a mask with an opacity gradient. Adjustable shutter structures may control adhesive exposure to ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light exposure may be used to create an adhesive dam that helps create a well defined adhesive border. Multiple layers of adhesive may be applied between a pair of substrates.

Methods for bonding substrates using liquid adhesive

Methods and devices for using liquid optically clear adhesives (LOCAs) are described. A method for detecting uncured LOCA between a first substrate and a second substrate is described. In addition, an improved method for curing a laminated stack up having LOCA between a first substrate and a second substrate is described. The method includes a pre-curing method involving variable exposure of the LOCA. In addition, an improved light emitting diode (LED) unit assembly for exposing a laminated stack up to ultraviolet (UV) light during a pre-curing process is described. A method for testing the LED unit assembly prior to a pre-curing process is described.

Liquid optically clear adhesive lamination process control

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Cyrus Y Liu