Hybrid coverlay/window structure for flexible display applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10817016-B2
Application number	US-201916528271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2019
Priority date	Sep 24, 2018
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

Protective cover layers for electronic devices are described. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a display panel and a protective cover layer over the display panel. The protective cover layer includes a transparent support substrate and a hardcoat layer covering an exterior facing surface of the transparent support substrate. The display panel may be a flexible display panel and the protective cover layer may flex with the flexible display panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a display panel; and
a protective cover layer over the display panel, wherein the protective cover layer includes a transparent support substrate and a hardcoat layer covering an exterior facing surface of the transparent support substrate;
wherein the transparent support substrate is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of glass and sapphire, and the hardcoat layer is characterized by a lower elastic modulus than the transparent support substrate.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hardcoat layer defines an exterior surface of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a touch screen between the display panel and the protective cover.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a smudge resistant coating on an exterior facing coating of the hardcoat layer.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hardcoat layer has a thickness range of 1 μm-200 μm and the transparent support substrate has a thickness less than 150 μm.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hardcoat layer has an elastic modulus range of 1 GPa-100 GPa.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hardcoat layer includes a polymer matrix.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the polymer matrix is a silica acrylate polymer.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the hardcoat layer is characterized by a graded elastic modulus that is lower nearest the transparent support substrate and higher nearest an outer surface of the hardcoat layer.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the hardcoat layer includes a particle filler within the polymer matrix, and a particle filler concentration is higher nearest the transparent support substrate and lower nearest the outer surface of the hardcoat layer.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hardcoat layer is on a surface of the transparent support substrate characterized by an area roughness (Ra) of 0.5 nm-10 nm, and an exterior facing surface of the hardcoat layer is characterized by a greater area roughness than the surface of the transparent support substrate on which the hardcoat layer is located.

12. An electronic device comprising:
a display panel; and
a protective cover layer over the display panel, wherein the protective cover layer includes a transparent support substrate and a hardcoat layer covering an exterior facing surface and an opposite interior facing surface of the transparent support substrate;
wherein the hardcoat layer is characterized by a lower elastic modulus than the transparent support substrate.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the hardcoat layer wraps around one or more lateral edges of the transparent support substrate.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more lateral edges of the transparent support substrate are tapered.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a polymer adhesion layer between the hardcoat layer and the transparent support substrate.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the polymer adhesion layer is 1-10 μm thick.

17. An electronic device comprising:
a display panel;
a protective cover layer over the display panel, wherein the protective cover layer includes a transparent support substrate and a hardcoat layer covering an exterior facing surface of the transparent support substrate; and
a glass fiber mesh between the hardcoat layer and the transparent support substrate;
wherein the hardcoat layer is characterized by a lower elastic modulus than the transparent support substrate.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the hardcoat layer surrounds lateral edges of the glass fiber mesh.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein a refractive index of glass fibers in the glass fiber mesh is matched with a refractive index of the hardcoat layer.

20. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the hardcoat layer impregnates the glass fiber mesh.

21. The electronic device of claim 20 :
wherein the display panel is a flexible display panel, and the protective cover layer flexes with the flexible display panel; and
further comprising a housing to contain the flexible display panel and the protective cover layer.

22. The electronic device of claim 21 , wherein the flexible display panel is foldable, and the protective cover layer folds with the foldable display panel.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Kim Hoon Sik
• Huang Chang-Chia
• Jones Christopher D
• Kuwabara Masato
• Kalyankar Nikhil D
• Shyu Terry C
• Afsar Yasmin F
• Drzaic Paul S

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• B32B2457/208

  Touch screens · CPC title

• B32B2307/584

  Scratch resistance · CPC title

• B32B9/047

  made of fibres or filaments · CPC title

• B32B9/002

  comprising natural stone or artificial stone · CPC title