Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140016071 | Displays with Optical Fiber Layers - An electronic device may have a display such as a liquid crystal display. The display may have multiple display layers for generating display light such as a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. The display may include first and second layers of optical fibers formed over the display layers. The first and second layers of optical fibers may guide display light generated in the display layers to an outer surface of the display. The first layer of optical fibers may include optical fibers having a first numerical aperture. The second layer of optical fibers may include optical fibers having a second numerical aperture. The first numerical aperture may be smaller than the second numerical aperture. The second layer of optical fibers may include vertical and angled optical fibers. The angled optical fibers may help reduce the size of an inactive region around the center of the display. | 01-16-2014 |
20140023430 | Attachment Techniques - Techniques for attachment of sapphire substrates with other materials and the resulting structures are provided. One embodiment may take the form of an attachment method including creating an aperture within a sapphire substrate and filling the aperture with an attachment material. The method also includes mechanically coupling a member to the sapphire substrate using the attachment material. | 01-23-2014 |
20140030443 | Sapphire Window - Methods for creating sapphire windows are provided herein. In particular, one embodiment may take the form of a method of manufacturing sapphire windows. The method includes obtaining a polished sapphire wafer and applying decoration to the sapphire wafer. The method also includes cutting the sapphire wafer into discrete windows. In some embodiments, the cutting step comprises laser ablation of the sapphire. | 01-30-2014 |
20140037257 | Displays with Coherent Fiber Bundles - A display may have an array of display pixels that generate an image. A coherent fiber bundle may be mounted on the display pixels. The coherent fiber bundle may have a first surface that is adjacent to the display pixels and a second surface that is visible to a viewer. The coherent fiber bundle may contain fibers that carry light from the first surface to the second surface. The second surface may be planar or may have a central planar region and curved edge regions that run along opposing sides of the central planar region. The fibers may have cross-sectional surface areas with a first aspect ratio on the first surface and a second aspect ratio that is greater than the first aspect ratio on the second surface. | 02-06-2014 |
20140076299 | MULTI-STEP CUTTING PROCESS - Methods related to efficient processing of sapphire are discussed which are expected to both speed manufacture of corundum for applications and make the use of conundrum cost effective. In particular, one embodiment may take the form of a method of cutting a hard transparent material having a polished surface. The method includes roughening the polished surface, directing a laser beam at the hard transparent material to melt the material and removing the melted hard material. | 03-20-2014 |
20140080081 | HEAT EXCHANGERS IN SAPPHIRE PROCESSING - Systems and methods are presented for efficient heating during production of corundum. One embodiment takes the form of a system for processing corundum including a first furnace and a second furnace. The first and second furnaces are sequentially arranged and heat from the first furnace is subsequently used to heat the second furnace. | 03-20-2014 |
20140083353 | PLANE ORIENTATION OF CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURES - Systems and method for creating crystalline parts having a desired primary and secondary crystallographic orientations are provided. One embodiment may take the form of a method of manufacturing a part having a crystalline structure. The method includes melting aluminum oxide and drawing the melted aluminum oxide up a slit. Additionally, the method includes orienting the seed crystal relative to a growth apparatus such that a crystalline structure grows having a desired primary plane and a desired secondary plane orientation. Moreover, the method includes pulling the crystal as it forms to create a ribbon shaped crystalline structure and cutting a part from the crystalline structure. | 03-27-2014 |
20140090592 | CONTINUOUS SAPPHIRE GROWTH - Systems and methods for continuous sapphire growth are disclosed. One embodiment may take the form of a method including feeding a base material into a crucible located within a growth chamber, heating the crucible to melt the base material and initiating crystalline growth in the melted base material to create a crystal structure. Additionally, the method includes pulling the crystal structure away from crucible and feeding the crystal structure out of the growth chamber. | 04-03-2014 |
20140092028 | Multiple-Element Light-Bending Structures for Minimizing Display Borders - An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may have an array of display pixels that provide image light to a user. The array of display pixels may form an active display structure with a rectangular shape. The rectangular active display structure may be surrounded by an inactive border region. Optical structures such as upper structures formed from a sheet of glass and lower optical structures that lie beneath the sheet of glass may be configured to bend light from the display pixels along the periphery of the active display structure. The upper optical structures may have an area that is larger than the area of the active display structure, so that the presence of the optical structures may serve to enlarge the apparent size of the display. The lower and upper optical structures may have curved surfaces for bending the light. | 04-03-2014 |
20140092283 | Display with Electromechanical Mirrors for Minimizing Display Borders - An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may have an array of display pixels that provide light to a user. The array of display pixels may form active display structures with a rectangular shape. The rectangular active display structures may be surrounded by an inactive border region. Reflector structures may be used to reflect light that is emitted from peripheral portions of the active display structures to a portion of the display overlapping the inactive border region, thereby providing the display with an effective active area that is larger than the area of the active display structures. The reflector structures may include rotatable reflectors. Control circuitry may use a rotatable positioner to rotate rotatable reflector structures in synchronization with controlling which pixel data is displayed by the display pixels in the peripheral portions of the active display structures. | 04-03-2014 |
20140092341 | Display with Liquid Crystal Shutters for Minimizing Display Borders - An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may have an array of display pixels that provide image light to a user. The array of display pixels may form active display structures with a rectangular shape. The rectangular active display structures may be surrounded by an inactive border region. Liquid crystal light distribution structures may be used to distribute light that is emitted from peripheral portions of the active display structures to a portion of the display overlapping the inactive border region, thereby increasing the apparent area of the display. The light distribution structures may include a liquid crystal cell, a reflecting polarizer, and a reflector that reflects light from the peripheral portions of the active display structures vertically upwards after the light has passed through the liquid crystal cell and has reflected off of the reflecting polarizer. | 04-03-2014 |
20140092346 | Borderless Display with Light-Bending Structures - An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may have an array of display pixels that provide image light to a user. The array of display pixels may form an active display structure with a rectangular shape. The rectangular active display structure may be surrounded by an inactive border region. Optical structures such as a sheet of glass or another optical member may have portions that are configured to bend light from the display pixels along the periphery of the active display structure. The optical member may have an area that is larger than the area of the active display structure, so that the presence of the optical member may serve to enlarge the apparent size of the display. Solidified liquid polymer may be used to support the optical structures and may be interposed between the optical structures and the active display structures. | 04-03-2014 |
20140248472 | SAPPHIRE PROPERTY MODIFICATION THROUGH ION IMPLANTATION - Systems and methods for strengthening a sapphire part are described herein. One method may take the form of orienting a first surface of a sapphire member relative to an ion implantation device, selecting an ion implantation concentration and directing ions at the first surface of the sapphire member. The ions are embedded under the first surface to create compressive stress in the sapphire surface. | 09-04-2014 |
20140272298 | LAYERED COATINGS FOR SAPPHIRE SUBSTRATE - A layered coating for a sapphire component is described herein. The sapphire component comprises one or more layers of alumina adhered to the surface of a sapphire member. At least the first layer of alumina adheres to the surface of the sapphire member filling all defects in the surface forming a pristine new layer that also provides isolation from damage. | 09-18-2014 |
20150030859 | CHEMICAL STRENGTHENING OF ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATINGS (ARC) - A strengthened film for a substrate such as a glass panel is provided. The strengthened film may be formed by implanting sodium in the film, and then performing an exchange through which the sodium is replaced by potassium. The film may be an anti-reflective coating. Related assemblies and methods are also provided. | 01-29-2015 |
20150064422 | PROTECTIVE FILM AND RELATED ASSEMBLY AND METHOD - A protective film configured to protect a substrate such as a glass panel for a display is provided. The protective film may include a discontinuous outer layer including a multitude of panels and gaps positioned therebetween. Further, the protective film may include a flexible layer positioned between the discontinuous outer layer and the substrate. When panels of the discontinuous outer layer are impacted by a foreign object, the force may be transferred to the flexible layer, rather than propagating through the outer layer. In this regard, the gaps between the panels of the discontinuous outer layer may prevent the formation of cracks that may otherwise occur. Related assemblies and methods are also provided. | 03-05-2015 |
20150085429 | ELECTRONIC COMPONENT EMBEDDED IN CERAMIC MATERIAL - A ceramic material having an electronic component embedded therein, and more particularly to a sapphire surface having an electrically energized component embedded within. In some embodiments, the sapphire surface may take the form of a portion of a housing for an electronic device. Since sapphire may be substantially transparent, it may form a cover glass for a display within or forming part of the electronic device, as one example. The cover glass may be bonded, affixed, or otherwise attached to a remainder of the housing, thereby forming an enclosure for the electronic device. | 03-26-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140179471 | CHAIN OR BELT TENSIONER WITH A RATCHET THAT DEACTIVATES - A tensioner comprising a piston slidably received within a piston bore of the housing having a plurality of grooves formed on an outer circumference, the piston forming a first pressure chamber with the piston bore. The tensioner uses a mechanism to remove a sliding pawl or expandable clip from engaging the grooves on the piston, such that the piston can move towards the housing and reduce chain load when fluid pressure is reduced in the first pressure chamber during engine shutdown, but not so much as to leave the chain uncontrolled during engine restart. The mechanism may for example be a fluid biased spool piston which engages the expandable clip or a pawl piston that engages a sliding pawl. | 06-26-2014 |
20140187367 | CHAIN DRIVE TENSIONER SPRING FORCE CONTROL MECHANISM - A tensioner which adjusts the mean tensioner force to keep the chain tension as low as possible without sacrificing chain control, significantly improving drive efficiency as the chain wears and is subject to low dynamic loads. | 07-03-2014 |
20140187368 | CHAIN DRIVE TENSIONER SPRING FORCE CONTROL MECHANISM - A tensioner which adjusts the mean tensioner force to keep the chain tension as low as possible without sacrificing chain control, significantly improving drive efficiency as the chain wears and is subject to low dynamic loads. | 07-03-2014 |
20140187369 | CHAIN DRIVE TENSIONER SPRING FORCE CONTROL MECHANISM - A tensioner which adjusts the mean tensioner force to keep the chain tension as low as possible without sacrificing chain control, significantly improving drive efficiency as the chain wears and is subject to low dynamic loads. | 07-03-2014 |