Window structure, method of manufacturing the same, electronic device equipped with a camera including a window structure and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9640681-B2
Application number	US-201313797696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2013
Priority date	May 23, 2012
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A window structure includes a window, a design layer structure on the window, a light shield layer on the design layer structure, and a light absorption layer. The design layer structure includes a first hole exposing a portion of the window. The light shield layer includes a second hole in fluid communication with the first hole. The light absorption layer covers at least a portion of the design layer structure exposed by the first and second holes, and includes a third hole exposing a portion of the window. By including the light absorption layer of a gray or black color to cover exposed portions of the design layer structure, a vignette about an image caused by the design layer structure is prevented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A window structure, comprising:
a window;
a design layer structure arranged on the window, the design layer structure including a first hole exposing a portion of the window;
a light shield layer arranged on the design layer structure, the light shield layer including a second hole in fluid communication with the first hole, and the light shield layer being different from the design layer structure; and
a light absorption layer covering at least a portion of the design layer structure exposed by the first and second holes, the light absorption layer including a third hole exposing a portion of the window, wherein the third hole is arranged within a combination of the first hole and the second hole.

2. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the second hole has a diameter larger than that of the first hole, wherein the second hole exposes only portions of the design layer structure in a vicinity of the first hole, and wherein the light absorption layer is arranged only in a vicinity of the exposed portions of the design layer structure.

3. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second holes have substantially a same diameter.

4. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the light absorption layer is absent from a surface of the light shield layer that faces away from the window.

5. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the design layer structure has a chromatic color or a white color, and the light shield layer and the light absorption layer have a black color or a gray color.

6. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the design layer structure, the light shield layer and the light absorption layer is a printed layer, the light shield layer being arranged on a side of the design layer structure opposite from that of the window.

7. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third holes have a boundary of a circle when viewed from a top side, and the light absorption layer has a boundary of a circle, ellipse or polygon when viewed from a top side.

8. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the light absorption layer blocks all light reflecting off of portions of the design layer structure exposed by the second hole in the light shield layer and blocks all light that passes through portions of the design layer structure exposed by the second hole in the light shield layer.

9. The window structure of claim 1 , further comprising a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film arranged on the window, and wherein the design layer structure is arranged on the PET film.

10. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the third hole serves as a path through which a light incident on a camera sensor facing the light shield layer passes.

11. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the light absorption layer covers at least a portion of a sidewall of the light shield layer exposed by the second hole.

12. The window structure of claim 11 , wherein the light absorption layer covers a portion of a surface of the light shield layer that faces away from the window.

13. The window structure of claim 1 , wherein the design layer structure includes a plurality of design layers sequentially stacked on the window, the design layer structure being a contiguous structure where each of the plurality of layers are contiguous.

14. The window structure of claim 13 , wherein the first hole has a sidewall profile of a step shape of which a diameter increases from a bottom portion adjacent to a top surface of the window to a top portion furthest from the top surface of the window.

15. The window structure of claim 13 , wherein the first hole has a constant diameter in a direction substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the window.

16. The window structure of claim 15 , wherein the first, second and third holes are concentric circles, wherein a diameter of the third hole is smaller than that of each of the first and second holes.

17. A method of manufacturing a window structure, comprising:
forming a design layer structure on a window, the design layer structure having a first hole exposing a portion of the window;
forming a light shield layer on the design layer structure, the light shield layer having a second hole in fluid communication with the first hole, and the light shield layer being different from the design layer structure; and
forming a light absorption layer covering at least a portion of the design layer structure exposed by the first and second holes, the light absorption layer having a third hole exposing a portion of the window, wherein the third hole is arranged within a combination of the first hole and the second hole.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the forming of the light shield layer includes forming the light shield layer so that the second hole has a diameter larger than that of the first hole, wherein the design layer structure has a chromatic color or a white color, and the light shield layer and the light absorption layer have a black color or a gray color, the light shield layer and the light absorption layer do not transmit visible light.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the forming of the light shield layer occurs only subsequent to a completion of the forming of the design layer structure.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the forming of the light absorption layer includes forming the light absorption layer to cover at least a portion of a sidewall of the light shield layer exposed by the second hole, wherein the sidewall of the light shield layer faces into the second hole.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the forming of the light absorption layer includes forming the light absorption layer to cover a portion of a surface of the light shield layer that faces away from the window.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the forming of the design layer structure includes sequentially stacking a plurality of design layers on the window so that they are contiguous.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the forming of the design layer structure includes forming the design layer structure so that the first hole has a sidewall profile of a step shape of which a diameter increases from a bottom portion adjacent to a top surface of the window to a top portion most distant from the top surface of the window, wherein the second hole exposes only portions of the design layer structure in a vicinity of the first hole, and wherein the light absorption layer is arranged only in a vicinity of the exposed portions of the design layer structure.

24. A window structure, comprising:
a window;
a design layer structure arranged on the window, the design layer structure including a first hole exposing a portion of the window; and
a light shield layer arranged on the window, the light shield layer covering the design layer structure and including a second hole exposing a portion of the window, the second hole being in fluid communication with the first hole, and the light shield layer being different from the design layer structure.

25. The window structure of claim 24 , the design layer structure includes a plurality of design layers sequentially stacked on the window, the design layer structure being a contiguous structure where each of the plurality of layers are contiguous.

26. The window structure of claim 25 , wherein the design layer structure has a chromatic color or a white color, the light shield layer has a black color o

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Min Myung-An

Classifications

• G03B17/02

  Bodies · CPC title

• G03B11/04

  Hoods or caps for eliminating unwanted light from lenses, viewfinders or focusing aids · CPC title

• G02B27/0018

  with means for preventing ghost images (anti-reflection coatings G02B1/11) · CPC title

• G02B5/003

  Light absorbing elements · CPC title

• G02B5/22

  Absorbing filters {(G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence)} · CPC title