Computer display or cover glass/cell attachment to frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9733670-B2
Application number	US-201213627814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2012
Priority date	Sep 26, 2012
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

The described embodiments relate generally to computing devices including liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and more particularly to methods for attaching a cover glass layer to a structural housing while minimizing an amount of stress transferred through the cover glass layer to the LCD module. A continuous and compliant foam adhesive can be used to bond the cover glass layer to a structural. The compliant bond can absorb and distribute local stress concentrations caused by structural loads, mismatched surfaces and differing thermal expansion rates between various structures and cover glass layer. This can reduce stress concentrations in the cover glass layer that can lead to stress induced birefringence in the LCD cell. In other embodiments, the cover glass layer can be attached using magnets or a tongue and groove design.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device, comprising:
a housing comprising a support structure;
a display cover adhered to the support structure by an adhesive layer; and
a bracket fastened to the support structure, wherein the bracket is magnetic, wherein
the adhesive layer is positioned between the bracket and the display cover, and wherein a magnetic field of an external magnet placed in proximity to the display cover near the bracket exerts a force on the bracket that pulls the bracket toward the display cover and compresses the adhesive layer.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the support structure is positioned between the bracket and the adhesive layer.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive foam adhesive.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer maintains a uniform gap between the support structure and the display cover.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is mechanically coupled to the support structure.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the display cover is positioned within a groove of the support structure.

7. A computing device comprising:
a structural housing forming an exterior surface of the computing device;
a cover glass layer;
a chin structure disposed along a bottom edge of the structural housing, wherein the structural housing and the chin structure form an opening;
a support block coupled to the structural housing and disposed along a periphery of the opening, wherein the support block comprises:
a first surface supporting the cover glass layer, and a second surface coupled to the structural housing;

a pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material coupled to the cover glass layer and the support block that maintains a uniform gap between the structural housing and the cover glass layer; and
a magnetically responsive material within the structural housing arranged such that the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material is positioned between the magnetically responsive material and the support block, wherein the magnetically responsive material exerts a force on and activates the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material in response to a magnetic field of an external magnet.

8. The computing device defined in claim 7 , wherein:
the cover glass layer is bonded to an LCD cell using an optically clear adhesive, the LCD cell further comprising a thin film transistor glass layer, liquid crystals and a color filter;
the chin structure is integrally coupled to the structural housing, and the structural housing and the chin structure cooperate to form the opening for the cover glass layer;
the first surface of the support block is substantially parallel to a front surface of the computing device and supports an interior surface of the cover glass layer, and the second surface is coupled to an interior surface of the structural housing;
the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material reduces an amount of point loads that can be transferred from the structural housing to the cover glass layer; and
the magnetically responsive material exerts the force on and activates the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material in response to the magnetic field of the external magnet placed in proximity to the cover glass layer near the magnetically responsive material.

9. The computing device defined in claim 7 wherein the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material includes a foam adhesive.

10. The computing device defined in claim 9 wherein the foam adhesive further comprises a foam layer with adhesive tape bonded to opposing surfaces of the foam layer.

11. The computing device defined in claim 7 , wherein the cover glass layer is coupled to the structural housing using:
at least one magnet coupled to the support block; and
at least one magnetic plate bonded to an interior surface of the cover glass layer, wherein the at least one magnetic plate is aligned with the at least one magnet coupled to the support block.

12. The computing device defined in claim 11 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a continuous magnet disposed on the first surface of the support block around the periphery of the opening for the cover glass layer.

13. The computing device defined in claim 11 , wherein the at least one magnetic plate comprises a continuous magnetic plate disposed along a periphery of the cover glass layer, the continuous magnetic plate aligned with the at least one magnet.

14. A method for attaching a cover glass layer to a structural housing while reducing an amount of stress imparted to the cover glass layer, comprising:
coupling a chin structure to a structural housing that forms an exterior surface of a computing device, the chin structure coupled along a bottom edge of the structural housing, wherein the structural housing and the chin structure combine to form an opening for the cover glass layer;
coupling a first surface of a support block to the structural housing along a periphery of the opening for the cover glass layer;
machining a second surface of the support block so that the second surface is substantially parallel to a front surface of the computing device and supports an interior surface of the cover glass layer;
bonding the cover glass layer to an LCD cell using an optically clear adhesive, the LCD cell further comprising a thin film transistor glass layer, liquid crystals and a color filter;
coupling the cover glass layer to the support block using a pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material reducing an amount of point loads that can be transferred from the structural housing to the cover glass layer and maintain a uniform gap between the structural housing and the cover glass layer; and
positioning a magnetically responsive material within the structural housing such that the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material is positioned between the magnetically responsive material and the support block, wherein the magnetically responsive material exerts a force on and activates the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material in response to a magnetic field of an external magnet placed in proximity to the cover glass layer near the magnetically responsive material during an assembly process.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the pressure sensitive compliant adhesive material includes a foam adhesive.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the foam adhesive further comprises a foam layer with pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on opposing surfaces of the foam layer.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein machining the second surface of the support block further comprises:
sensing the position of an edge of the structural housing; and
machining the second surface of the support block to be a uniform distance from the edge of the structural housing, wherein the uniform distance allows a constant gap to exist between the cover glass layer and the structural housing after assembly.

18. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein coupling the cover glass layer to the support block further comprises:
bonding a plurality of magnets along the second surface of the support block;
bonding a plurality of magnetic plates to an interior surface of the cover glass layer, wherein the plurality of magnetic plates align with the plurality of magnets; and
coupling the cover glass layer to the second surface of the support block by aligning the plurality of magnets with the plurality of magnetic plates.

19.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mathew Dinesh C
• Cooper Edward J
• Degner Brett W
• Hendren Keith J
• Rundle Nicholas Alan
• Tarkington Dave

Classifications

• H05K13/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components · CPC title

• G06F1/1601

  Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays (constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title

• G06F2200/1612

  Flat panel monitor · CPC title

• G06F1/1637 Primary

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