Display grounding structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10908654-B2
Application number	US-201816134738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2018
Priority date	Sep 18, 2018
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided with a display and conductive sidewalls. The display may include conductive display structures and a cover layer. The cover layer may be mounted to the sidewalls. The sidewalls may define antenna apertures for antennas in the device. Grounding structures may be coupled between the conductive display structures and the sidewalls at locations that at least partially overlap the antenna apertures. The grounding structures may include conductive tape having an adhesive surface. The conductive tape may have a first end at which the adhesive surface is coupled to the conductive display structures. The conductive tape may have a second end that is folded around a layer of heat-activated film and that is coupled to both the display cover layer and the conductive sidewalls. Conductive tape overlapping each antenna aperture may be concurrently assembled into the electronic device as the display is mounted to the sidewalls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a device housing having a conductive sidewall;
a display having conductive display structures and a display cover layer overlapping the conductive display structures, wherein the display cover layer has opposing upper and lower surfaces, the lower surface is mounted to the conductive sidewall, and the lower surface is coupled to the conductive display structures; and
grounding structures coupled between the conductive display structures and the conductive sidewall, wherein the grounding structures are interposed between the lower surface and the conductive sidewall and the grounding structures are configured to electrically couple the conductive display structures to the conductive sidewall and to adhere a portion of the display cover layer to the conductive sidewall.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the grounding structures comprise conductive tape.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 , wherein the conductive tape has a first end coupled to the conductive display structures and a second end coupled to the conductive sidewall, the second end being folded about an axis.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 , wherein the conductive tape has an adhesive surface that is coupled to the conductive display structures, the display cover layer, and the conductive sidewall.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 , wherein the conductive tape has a non-adhesive surface that opposes the adhesive surface.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 4 , wherein the conductive tape has a first portion adhered to the display cover layer and a second portion adhered to the conductive sidewall and extending parallel to the first portion.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 , wherein the grounding structures further comprise heat-activated film interposed between the first and second portions of the conductive tape.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 , wherein the heat-activated film is offset from the second end of the conductive tape.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 2 , wherein the conductive tape has a first end coupled to the conductive display structures and a second end that is folded around a layer of heat-activated film, wherein the second end is coupled to a ledge on the conductive sidewall, and wherein the layer of heat-activated film and the second end of the conductive tape are interposed between the lower surface and the ledge.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 , further comprising:
a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the ledge and configured to adhere the display cover layer to the conductive sidewall.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 , wherein the layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive comprises a notch and wherein the second end of the conductive tape is adhered to the ledge within the notch.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 2 , wherein the grounding structures further comprise a conductive spring finger.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
an antenna having an antenna aperture configured to radiate radio-frequency signals through the display cover layer, wherein the conductive sidewall is configured to define at least part of the antenna aperture and wherein the grounding structures at least partially overlap the antenna aperture.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the grounding structures comprise an air loop gasket.

15. Grounding structures for a display in an electronic device, the grounding structures comprising:
conductive tape having opposing first and second lateral surfaces, wherein the first lateral surface comprises an adhesive surface and the conductive tape comprises a first portion and a second portion that extends from an end of the first portion; and
a layer of heat-activated film coupled to the second lateral surface, wherein the layer of heat-activated film is interposed between the first and second portions of the conductive tape and couples the first portion of the conductive tape to the second portion of the conductive tape.

16. The grounding structures defined in claim 15 , wherein the first portion of the conductive tape extends parallel to the second portion of the conductive tape.

17. The grounding structures defined in claim 15 , wherein the second lateral surface of the conductive tape comprises a non-adhesive surface.

18. A method of assembling an electronic device having a display and conductive housing walls, the method comprising:
attaching pressure-sensitive adhesive, a first conductive tape, and a second conductive tape to a dielectric liner;
with the dielectric liner, concurrently attaching the pressure-sensitive adhesive, the first conductive tape, and the second conductive tape to the display; and
with a heat press, pressing the display onto the conductive housing walls to affix the pressure-sensitive adhesive, the first conductive tape, and the second conductive tape to the conductive housing walls.

19. The method defined in claim 18 , wherein the electronic device comprises first and second antenna apertures that are at least partially defined by the conductive housing walls, wherein the heat press comprises first and second heated press heads, and wherein the method further comprises:
with the first heated press head, heating the first conductive tape while pressing on the display at a first location overlapping the first conductive tape; and
with the second heated press head, heating the second conductive tape while pressing on the display at a second location overlapping the second conductive tape, wherein the first conductive tape at least partially overlaps the first antenna aperture and the second conductive tape at least partially overlaps the second antenna aperture in the electronic device.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Oster Carli E
• Zhang Chi
• Wang Haowei
• Compton Lucas R

Classifications

• G09F9/00

  Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements (in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00) · CPC title

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G06F1/1656 Primary

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• H05K5/0247 Primary

  Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring · CPC title

• H01Q1/48

  Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises · CPC title