Apple Inc.

Other

James R Krogdahl

David A Pakula

Daniel William Jarvis

Lee E Hooton

Edward S Huo

Robert F Meyer

Douglas G Fournier

Michael Ngo

Garrett R Owoc

Srikanth V Thiruppukuzhi

Scott A Myers

Michael Benjamin Wittenberg

Erik G De Jong

Matthew Phillip Casebolt

Benjamin J Pope

Michelle Rae Goldberg

Michael Kane Pilliod

Robert Sean Murphy

Nicholas Alan Rundle

Paul Choiniere

Dennis R Pyper

Derek C Krass

Alex M Lee

Nicholas G L Merz

David Phillip Tarkington

James M Cuseo

Matthew P Rao

Rimple Bhatia

Justin T Sawyer

Chuan Keat Low

An electronic device having a display assembly is disclosed. Several layers may combine to form the display assembly. For example, the display assembly may include a touch sensitive layer (or touch detection layer), a display layer that present visual information, and a force sensitive layer (or force detection layer). The display layer may include a bend or curve that allows a portion of the display layer to bend around the force sensitive layer. Also, the connectors (that provide electrical and mechanical connections) may be positioned at different locations of the layers. For example, the display layer may include a connector on a first edge region, and the force sensitive layer may include a connector on a second edge region that is perpendicular, or at least substantially perpendicular, to the first edge region. By positioning the connectors on perpendicular edge regions, the display assembly may reduce its footprint.

Display module and glass with undercut plastic frame

A composite material is disclosed which includes a plastic layer formed on a layer of metal. The metal layer includes pores into which an adhesive is introduced. The plastic layer is injection molded onto the metal layer so as to contact the adhesive in the pores. The plastic layer is thus bonded to the metal layer.

Electronic device structure formed from porous metal bonded to plastic

An environmental seal is formed around a square sensor disposed beneath a circular button cap within a button assembly. The button assembly includes shelf portions each extending separately into the interior of the assembly from a sidewall of the assembly. Portions of the sidewall are exposed between the shelf portions large enough to permit the four corners of the square sensor to contact the sidewall. The button cap is set above the sensor, resting upon the shelf portions. A first sealant bonds the top faces of the shelf portions to the bottom of the button cap. A second sealant bonds the edges of the sidewall to the corners of the sensor. The second sealant interfaces with the first sealant to form a complete environmental seal.

Environmental seal maximizing sensor space beneath a button positioned in trim

Double-sided reworkable pressure sensitive adhesive tape joins electronic device structures. The reworkable pressure sensitive adhesive tape has a pair of polymer carrier layers that are attached to each other using a thermoplastic adhesive. Opposing outer surfaces of the carrier layers are coated with pressure sensitive adhesive. The thermoplastic material that is used in attaching the carriers to each has a softening temperature that allows the thermoplastic material to be softened without significantly softening the carrier layers. When the thermoplastic material is softened, the structures that have been joined using the tape may be separated from each other. This divides the tape into two tape remnants. After cooling the tape remnants to restore cohesive strength to the pressure sensitive adhesive, the tape remnants can be cleanly peeled away from the structures. Additional reworkable tape may then be used to reattach the structures.

Reworkable adhesive tape for joining device structures

Examples of computing devices including a processor, memory, and a display device housed within the same enclosure are described. In examples, the display device, which may include a cover glass, may be attached to the enclosure using a multilayer adhesive member, the multilayer adhesive including a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer disposed on opposite sides of a foam layer. The first and/or second adhesive layers may include two or more layers of a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), which may be separated using one or more adhesive carrier films. In examples, the first and/or second adhesive layers may include a low tack (e.g. removable) PSA for adhering to surfaces of the display and enclosure and for facilitation removal and re-workability of the adhesive joint.

Removable adhesive joint for computing device

Structures such as layers of material associated with an electronic device may be assembled using adhesive. The adhesive may be dispensed onto the surface of an electronic device layer in liquid form. The liquid adhesive material may be a liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. Patterned structures such as touch sensor electrodes, black ink masking layers, and other structures may be formed on the electronic device layer. The use of liquid adhesive material may help the adhesive material flow over the edges of the patterned structures without forming bubbles or voids. Following application of the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material, the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material may be cured to form a solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. The layer of material on which the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive has been formed may then be vacuum laminated to an additional electronic device layer.

Methods of joining device structures with adhesive

An electronic device may be provided with electronic device structures such as housing structures, antenna structures, printed circuits, and structures associated with electrical components. The structures may be attached to each other using adhesive. A liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material is deposited onto one or more surfaces of structures to be bonded. Light or heat can be applied to cure the liquid adhesive material and form pressure sensitive adhesive layers. During curing, chemical bonds are formed between the adhesive material and the structures. Assembly equipment may press the structures together to form pressure sensitive adhesive bonds that can be reworked without disturbing the chemically bonded portions of the adhesive material. The pressure sensitive adhesive may include conductive particles for forming conductive paths.

Liquid-based pressure sensitive adhesive for grounding applications

An electronic device may be provided with electronic device structures such as housing structures and structures associated with electrical components. The electronic device structures may be attached to each other using ultraviolet and visible light curable adhesive. A layer of adhesive may be interposed between electronic device structures. A light source may generate ultraviolet light. The structures may include an ultraviolet-light-transparent structure through which the ultraviolet light passes to illuminate and cure the adhesive. The ultraviolet-light-transparent structure may form one of multiple shots of injection molded plastic in a device structure, may be formed using a plastic that is opaque at visible wavelengths, or may have a coating such as a metal coating to help reflect ultraviolet radiation onto the adhesive. Perforations in the coating may be used to pass ultraviolet radiation to the adhesive.

Methods for attaching structures using ultraviolet and visible light curing adhesive

A method and apparatus for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate can include an intermediate layer disposed between the substrates. In one embodiment, the intermediate layer can be disposed to a bonding area of the first substrate and only one adhesive layer can be disposed between the intermediate layer and the second substrate. In other embodiments, a plurality of intermediate layers can be used.

Affinity bond layer

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

James R Krogdahl