Electronic Devices Having Curved Displays With Supporting Frames

Abstract

An electronic device may have a display overlapped by a cover layer. Portions of the surface of the display and cover layer may have curved profiles. The display may include a flexible substrate with bent edge portions protruding from a central region. Gaps may be formed between regions of pixels on a common display substrate or between separate display substrates. A light source may emit light through a gap. Optical components such as sensors may be aligned with windows in the display. The windows may be formed from transparent portions of a display layer that are surrounded by pixels. A frame may be used to support the flexible substrate. The frame may have a metal portion and a polymer portion molded to the metal portion. Openings and other structures in the frame may accommodate components such as optical sensors. Components may be aligned with frame openings and display windows.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a display cover layer having four peripheral edges;   a frame with peripheral edge surfaces and corner portions; and   a flexible display having a planar portion, first and second edge portions that overlap the peripheral edge surfaces, and a rounded corner portion between the first and second edge portions that overlaps one of the corner portions of the frame.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the rounded corner portion extends from the first edge portion. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first edge portion comprises first pixels on a display substrate, and wherein the rounded corner portion comprises second pixels on the display substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the rounded corner portion is separated from the second edge portion by a first gap. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the rounded corner portion is separated from the planar portion by a second gap. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first edge portion comprises first pixels on a first display substrate, the second edge portion comprises second pixels on the first display substrate, and the rounded corner portion comprises third pixels on a second display substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the planar portion comprises fourth pixels on the first display substrate, and wherein the second display substrate is separated from the first display substrate by gaps. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the rounded corner portion extends from the planar portion. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the planar portion comprises first pixels on a display substrate and the rounded corner portion comprises second pixels on the display substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the rounded corner portion further comprises slots in the display substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the rounded corner portion is separated from the first and second edge portions by respective first and second gaps. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the display cover layer comprises a layer of glass with a surface of compound curvature that overlaps the rounded corner portion. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a metal portion and a polymer portion, and the polymer portion forms the peripheral edge surfaces and the corner portions of the frame. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the metal portion is overlapped by the planar portion of the flexible display. 
     
     
         15 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing;   a display frame coupled to the housing; and   a flexible display supported by the display frame, wherein the flexible display comprises a display substrate having a planar portion, edge portions, and a rounded corner portion.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the rounded corner portion extends from a first one of the edge portions. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the rounded corner portion of the display substrate is separated from a second one of the edge portions by a first gap and is separated from the planar portion by a second gap. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the rounded corner portion comprises slots in the display substrate, and the rounded corner portion extends from the planar portion. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the rounded corner portion is separated from the edge portions by gaps. 
     
     
         20 . A cellular telephone, comprising:
 a housing;   a flexible display in the housing, wherein the flexible display comprises a display substrate having a planar portion, edge portions that extend from the planar portion, and a rounded corner portion that extends from one of the edge portions; and   a display frame, wherein the display frame has planar portions that support the planar portion of the display substrate, peripheral edge portions that support the edge portions of the display substrate, and a corner portion that supports the rounded corner portion of the display substrate.