WO2017120715A1

WO2017120715A1 - Display cover for electronic devices

Info

Publication number: WO2017120715A1
Application number: PCT/CN2016/070548
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chun-Heng TANG; Te-Shun LEE; Wei-Feng Yen; Chienchih CHIU
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2016-01-11
Filing date: 2016-01-11
Publication date: 2017-07-20

Abstract

A display cover (100) for an electronic device is disclosed which includes a metal body (102) and at least one structure (104A, 104B). The metal body(102) has a front surface(106) and a top surface(108). At least one of the front surface(106) and the top surface(108) define at least one slot (110) around an antenna area. The at least one structure (104A, 104B) attached to the metal body (102) to cover the at least one slot (110) to allow transmission/reception of antenna signals.

Description

DISPLAY COVER FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices may include display covers for holding displays (e.g., Liquid-crystal-displays) . The display cover may be formed of a metal body and an antenna lid attached to the metal body. The antenna lid may be used to cover an antenna of an electronic device. Further, the antenna lid may be made of plastic to allow transmission/reception of wireless antenna signals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples are described in the following detailed description and in reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a top view of an example display cover having two structures disposed on a top surface and a front surface of the display cover to allow transmission/reception of antenna signals；

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the example display cover, such as the display cover shown in FIG. 1, according to one aspect of the present subject matter；

FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of an example display module having the display cover, according to one aspect of the present subject matter；

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of an example electronic device having the display cover, according to one aspect of the present subject matter； and

FIG. 5 depicts a metal body of example display cover that includes magnesium structure for improving contracting deformation issue.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A display cover of an electronic device may include a metal body and an antenna lid attached at the top of the metal body. Example electronic devices may include notebook computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) , and the like. The plastic antenna lid may be attached by insert molding the antenna lid to the metal body (e.g., die casting metal body) , thereby forming a linkage portion between the plastic antenna lid and the metal body. Further, ABB polishing and painting process may be performed on the display cover after insert molding. The painting process may include powder coating, liquid putty coating, base coating and top coating. Further, if a shadow of the linkage portion between the plastic antenna lid and the metal body is visible, then the steps of ABB polishing and painting may be repeated.

Examples described herein may provide a display cover for an electronic device with improved front surface. The display cover may include a metal body and at least one structure. The metal body has a front surface and a top surface. At least one of the front surface and the top surface may define at least one slot around an antenna area. In one example, the structures are attached to the metal body to cover the slots to allow transmission/reception of antenna signals.

Further, painting process, such as powder coating, base coating, and top paint coating, may be performed on the structures and the metal body for forming the shadowless display cover. Furthermore, contraction distortion of the antenna insert area in the display cover may be reduced upon painting the display cover. In addition, putty coating of the display cover may be avoided by using the structures as described above.

FIG. 1 depicts an example display cover 100. The display cover 100 may include a metal body 102 and

structures

104A and 104B. In one example, the metal body 102 may be made of an alloy, such as magnesium alloy, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy and the like. The metal body 102 may include a front surface 106 and a top surface 108. In one example, at least one of the front surface 106 and the top surface 108 may define slots 110 around the antenna area. For example, the front surface 106 may include a slot 110, the top surface 108 may include a slot 110, or both of the front surface 106 and the top surface 108 may include a common slot 110. The example shown in FIG. 1 depicts a common slot 110, which extends from the front surface 106 to the top surface 108 for accommodating the

structures

104A and 104B.

Further, the

structures

104A and 104B may be attached to the metal body 102 to cover the slots 110. For example, the

structures

104A and 104B may be attached to the metal body 102 using an insert molding process. In insert molding process, the

structures

104A and 104B may be inserted into the slots 110 and a material similar to a material of the

structures

104A and 104B may be injected to form and solidify around the

structures

104A and 104B. Examples for attaching the

structures

104A and 104B is not limited to insert molding and any other process may be used for attaching the

structures

104A and 104B to the metal body 102 such that the

structures

104A and 104B and the metal body 102 may form a substantially flat surface. For example, injection molding process may be used to attach the

structures

104A and 104B to the metal body 102.

In one example, the

structures

104A and 104B may be elongated strips that are attached to the metal body 102 such that edges of the elongated strips are molded to sides of a corresponding slot. The

structures

104A and 104B may be made of plastic/polymer, such as liquid crystal polymer, polyphenylene sulphide, polybutylene terephthalate and the like. Due to the property of the plastic/polymer to allow the electromagnetic signals/radio signals, the

structures

104A and 104B may allow transmission/reception of antenna signals.

Further, painting process may be performed on the

structures

104A and 104B and the metal body 102 for forming the shadowless display cover 100. The painting process may include powder coating, base coating, and the top coating (e.g., paint coating) .

Referring now to FIG. 2 which illustrates a perspective view of the display cover 100 as described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the

structures

104A and 104B may be attached to the front surface 106 and the top surface 108. Further, azoomed view of the front surface of the structure 104A is shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, material of the

structures

104A and 104B can be selected to have a good bonding ability with material of the metal body 102. Furthermore, the material of the

structures

104A and 104B may have a low shrinkage and a similar linear expansion as that of the material of the metal body 102.

Referring to FIG. 3 which illustrates an exploded view of an example display module 300. The display module 300 may include a display 302, at least one antenna 304, and the display cover 100. Example display 302 may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode display, a plasma display, an electrophoretic display, or an electro-wetting display. The antenna 304 may be formed on a printed circuit board 306 that can be attached to the display 302. The display 302 can be attached to the display cover 100 such that the printed circuit board 306 having the antenna 304 is disposed between the display 302 and the display cover 100. In one example, the antenna 304 may be disposed internally at the top of the display module 300. In this case, the

structures

104A and 104B can be provided at the top of the display cover 100 and substantially near the antenna area.

The

structures

104A and 104B may pass the signals (e.g., radio waves/electromagnetic waves) due to the non-metallic nature of the

structures

104A and 104B. Accordingly, the signals can be transmitted and received by the antennas 304 without interference with the metal body 102. In one example, the antennas 304 are tuned to transmit through the material (e.g., plastic) that forms the

structures

104A and 104B. Anumber of the

structures

104A and 104B to be attached to the metal body 102 may depend on the number of the antennas 304 needed for transmission or reception of the signals in the display module 300.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example electronic device 400. The electronic device 400 may include a base 402 and the display module 300 (as explained with reference to FIG. 3) . The base 402 may include keyboard and/or touch pad among other components. The display module 300 may be connected to the base 402. For example, the display module 300 may be pivotally connected to the base 402 using a hinge. In another example, the display module 300 may be detachably connected to the base 402. Example electronic devices may include notebook computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) , and the like.

Turning now to FIG. 5 which illustrates a portion 500 of the metal body 102 of the display cover 100. The portion 500 may include a magnesium structure 502. The magnesium structure 502 may prevent contraction deformation in the display cover 100.

It may be noted that the above-described examples of the present solution is for the purpose of illustration only. Although the solution has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, numerous modifications may be possible without materially departing from the teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Other substitutions, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present solution. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

The terms “include, ” “have, ” and variations thereof, as used herein, have the same meaning as the term “comprise” or appropriate variation thereof. Furthermore, the term “based on, ” as used herein, means “based at least in part on. ” Thus, afeature that is described as based on some stimulus can be based on the stimulus or a combination of stimuli including the stimulus.

The present description has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing examples. It is understood, however, that other forms, details, and examples can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter that is defined in the following claims.

Claims

A display cover for an electronic device, comprising:

a metal body having a front surface and a top surface, wherein at least one of the front surface and the top surface define at least one slot around an antenna area； and

at least one structure attached to the metal body to cover the at least one slot to allow transmission/reception of antenna signals.
The display cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one structure is insert molded into the at least one slot.
The display cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one structure is made of plastic.
The display cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one structure is an elongated strip, wherein edges of each strip is molded to sides of a corresponding slot.
The display cover of claim 1, wherein the metal body is made of an alloy.
A display module comprising:

a display；

a display cover attached to the display； and

at least one antenna disposed between the display and the display cover, wherein the display cover comprising:

a metal body having a front surface and a top surface, wherein at least one of the front surface and the top surface define at least one slot around the at least one antenna； and

at least one structure attached to the metal body to cover the at least one slot to allow transmission/reception of signals associated with the at least one antenna.
The display module of claim 6, wherein the at least one structure is insert molded into the at least one slot.
The display module of claim 6, wherein the at least one structure is made of plastic.
The display module of claim 6, wherein the at least one structure is an elongated strip, wherein edges of each strip is molded to sides of a corresponding slot.
The display module of claim 6, wherein the metal body is made of an alloy.
An electronic device comprising:

a base；

a display module connected to the base, the display module comprises:

a display；

a display cover to mount the display； and

at least one antenna disposed between the display and the display cover, wherein the display cover comprising:

a metal body having a front surface and a top surface, wherein at least one of the front surface and the top surface define at least one slot around the at least one antenna； and

at least one structure attached to the metal body to cover the at least one slot to allow transmission/reception of signals associated with the at least one antenna.
The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one structure is insert molded into the at least one slot.
The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one structure is an elongated plastic strip, wherein edges of each plastic strip is molded to sides of a corresponding slot.
The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the display cover comprises at least one coating layer on the metal body and the at least one structure to form the shadowless display cover.
The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the at least one coating layer is selected from the group consisting of powder coating layer, base coating layer, and paint coating layer.