Methods for assembling electronic devices using embedded light guide structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8944659-B2
Application number	US-201213401692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2012
Priority date	Feb 21, 2012
Publication date	Feb 3, 2015
Grant date	Feb 3, 2015

Abstract

Electronic devices may include assemblies of structures such as electronic device assemblies connected using light-cured liquid adhesive such as ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive. Light guide structures may be mounted in the assemblies. During manufacture of an electronic device, ultraviolet light may be injected into a light guide structure to cure the light-cured liquid adhesive. A light guide structure may include portions that prevent escape of ultraviolet light and portions that allow ultraviolet light to escape into the light-cured liquid adhesive. Light guide structures may include masked portions, rigid support members, and one or more openings. Openings in a light guide structure may allow the light-cured liquid adhesive to be injected into an assembly through the openings. An adhesive applicator may be used to apply the adhesive to portions of the assembly. An external light source may be used to inject light that cures the adhesive into the light guide structures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
a display layer;
an embedded light guide structure; and
ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive that attaches the housing to the display layer, wherein the embedded light guide structure is at least partially embedded in the ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , further comprising a flexible light-emitting diode array attached to the display layer.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded light guide structure comprises a rigid support member and light guide material formed around the rigid support member.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the rigid support member comprises a cylindrical rigid support member.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the rigid support member comprises first and second portions and wherein the first portion is perpendicular to the second portion.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded light guide structure comprises first and second portions and wherein the first portion is formed from a first material having a first refractive index and the second portion is formed from a second material having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded light guide structure comprises an external surface having first and second portions and wherein the first portion has a first surface roughness and the second portion has a second surface roughness that is greater than the first surface roughness.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , further comprising an internal lens, wherein the embedded light guide structure has an external surface that is partially covered by an opaque masking layer, wherein the internal lens is formed from an uncured portion of the ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive, and wherein the opaque masking layer is formed adjacent to the uncured portion of the ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display layer and the housing are joined to form a corner, wherein the ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive is located in the corner, and wherein the embedded light guide structure has a bend in the corner.

10. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
a display layer having first and second opposing edges;
ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive that attaches the housing to the display layer; and
first and second light guides adjacent to the ultraviolet-light cured adhesive, wherein the first light guide extends parallel to the first edge of the display layer and wherein the second light guide extends parallel to the second edge of the display layer.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the first and second light guides are at least partially embedded in the ultraviolet-light-cured adhesive.

12. The electronic defined in claim 10 wherein the first and second light guides each have an elongated shape with a curved surface.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of the first and second light guides has a bend.

14. The electronic device defined in clam 13 wherein the display layer and the housing form a corner and wherein the bend is located in the corner.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises a rigid support member and light guide material formed around the rigid support member.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the rigid support member comprises a cylindrical rigid support member.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the at least one of the first and second light guides comprises first and second portions and wherein the first portion is formed from a first material having a first refractive index and the second portion is formed from a second material having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises an external surface having first and second portions and wherein the first portion has a first surface roughness and the second portion has a second surface roughness that is greater than the first surface roughness.

Assignees

• Dabov Teodor
• Feinstein Casey J
• Pakula David A
• Lynch Stephen Brian
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Dabov Teodor
• Feinstein Casey J
• Pakula David A
• Lynch Stephen Brian

Classifications

• G02B6/0081 Primary

  Mechanical or electrical aspects of the light guide and light source in the lighting device peculiar to the adaptation to planar light guides, e.g. concerning packaging · CPC title

• G02B6/0086

  Positioning aspects · CPC title

• G02B6/001 Primary

  the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre · CPC title

• G02B6/102

  for infrared and ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• C09J5/00

  Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers · CPC title