Ultra-thin display assembly with integrated touch functionality

Abstract

Methods for manufacturing an ultra-thin display assembly with integrated touch functionality may include edge bonding a laminate layer to a backlight portion of an LCD module. A display portion of the LCD module may be direct bonded to a cover glass including a transparent conductive electrode layer. The cover glass may be manufactured from a large glass sheet and may have an edge polymer deposited on edges of the cover glass, a conductive polymer layer over the transparent conductive electrode layer, and a smart polymer at the edges of the cover glass.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a display assembly for a portable information handling system, comprising:
 edge bonding a laminate cover to a rear surface of a liquid crystal display (LCD) module, wherein the laminate cover is fiber-strengthened and wherein the laminate cover forms an external surface of the portable information handling system; and   direct bonding a front surface of the LCD module to a cover glass using an optically clear adhesive having a thickness E to form the display assembly, wherein the cover glass includes a transparent conductive electrode layer,   wherein a total thickness P of the display assembly includes:
 a thickness A of the laminate cover; 
 a thickness D of the LCD module; and 
 a thickness F of the cover glass and the transparent conductive electrode layer, and 
   wherein a ratio of P/A is between 10.4 and 4.4.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent conductive electrode layer comprises indium tin oxide (ITO). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 bonding a display frame to a portion of the cover glass of the display assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of P/F is between 14.5 and 5.9, and wherein P is less than 4.8 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cover glass includes an edge polymer applied at the edges of the cover glass to stabilize cracks in the cover glass, and wherein the cover glass includes a conductive polymer layer applied over the transparent conductive electrode layer at the edges of the cover glass. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate cover is fiber-strengthened using at least one of: a carbon fiber layer; a glass fiber layer; and an aramid fiber layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of P/D is between 2.2 and 1.7, and wherein the LCD module includes a backlight portion and a display portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying a foil layer having a thickness B between the laminate cover and the LCD module; and   maintaining a gap having a thickness C between the foil layer and the LCD module, wherein the total thickness P is 4.55 mm and wherein:   the thickness A is 0.8 mm;   the thickness B is 0.15 mm;   the thickness C is 0.2 mm;   the thickness D is 2.4 mm;   the thickness E is 0.3 mm; and   the thickness F is 0.7 mm.   
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a cover glass assembly for an information handling system display, comprising:
 machining a cover glass portion to form a cover glass, wherein the cover glass portion is cut from a glass sheet;   performing a chemical edge polish to chemically smooth edges of the cover glass;   depositing an edge polymer to edge surfaces of the cover glass;   bonding a transparent conductive layer supporting touch functionality to the cover glass; and   depositing a conductive polymer layer over the transparent conductive layer at the edges of the cover glass.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 applying a smart polymer layer at the edges of the cover glass, wherein the smart polymer hardens under mechanical loading.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the transparent conductive electrode layer comprises indium tin oxide (ITO). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the edge polymer comprises a microcrack-filling resin. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the conductive polymer layer covers edges of the transparent conductive layer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the over glass is between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm thick.