IP Library › Granted Patent US 12712956

Granted Patent B2

US 12712956 · App. 18/243,485 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Handheld electronic device

Inventors: Richard H. Koch (Cupertino, CA); Chen Zhong (Santa Clara, CA); Matthew A. Lashinsky (San Diego, CA); Bryan Zin (San Francisco, CA); Daniel W. Jarvis (Sunnyvale, CA); Jason P. Shannon (Sunnyvale, CA); Marwan Rammah (San Francisco, CA); Hugh J. Jay (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: APPLE INC.

H04M1/0266 G06F1/1643 G06F1/1656 G06F1/1683 G06F1/169 G06F1/181 G06T7/50 G06V40/161 G06V40/172 H04M1/0262 H04M1/0264 H04M1/0268 H04M1/0283 H04M1/22 H04M1/724631 H04M1/72466 H04N23/90 G06T2207/10028 H04M2201/38 H04M2207/18

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12712956
App. No.: 18/243,485
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A portable electronic device may include a housing component defining a side exterior surface of the portable electronic device and a front cover assembly coupled to the housing component and including a front cover defining a front exterior surface of the portable electronic device and an interior surface opposite to the front exterior surface, a display stack attached to the interior surface of the front cover, a support frame coupled to the display stack and defining a plurality of engagement features, and a molded frame member coupled to the interior surface of the front cover and extending at least partially around a periphery of the display stack, the molded frame member encapsulating at least a portion of the support frame and engaging the plurality of engagement features.

Claims (63)

1 . A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing component defining a side exterior surface of the portable electronic device; and

a front cover assembly coupled to the housing component and comprising:

a front cover defining a front exterior surface of the portable electronic device and an interior surface opposite to the front exterior surface;

a display stack attached to the interior surface of the front cover;

a support frame coupled to the display stack and defining a set of engagement features; and

a molded frame member coupled to the interior surface of the front cover and extending at least partially around a periphery of the display stack, the molded frame member encapsulating at least a portion of the support frame and engaging the set of engagement features.

2 . The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises a metal structure adhered to the display stack.

3 . The portable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the support frame defines a flange extending outwardly from a peripheral side of the display stack.

4 . The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the set of engagement features includes a set of holes formed through the flange.

5 . The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the front cover assembly further comprises a coating structure positioned on a peripheral portion of the interior surface of the front cover; and

the molded frame member is bonded to the coating structure.

6 . The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the display stack comprises a flexible circuit element, the flexible circuit element defining a loop portion extending from a side of the display stack and at least partially enclosing a loop volume; and

the molded frame member conforms to an outer surface of the loop portion and fills the loop volume.

7 . The portable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:

the molded frame member is formed of a material having a curing wavelength range; and

the loop portion is optically transmissive within the curing wavelength range.

8 . A mobile phone comprising:

a housing component;

a front cover coupled to the housing component and defining an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite to the exterior surface;

a display stack coupled to the interior surface of the front cover;

a support frame coupled to the display stack and defining a flange extending outwardly from a peripheral side of the display stack; and

a frame member formed from a molded polymer material, the molded polymer material at least partially encapsulating the flange and defining:

an upper surface coupled to the front cover; and

a lower surface coupled to the housing component.

9 . The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein:

the flange defines a set of engagement features; and

the molded polymer material of the frame member interlocks with the set of engagement features.

10 . The mobile phone of claim 9 , wherein the set of engagement features includes a set of holes formed through the flange.

11 . The mobile phone of claim 9 , wherein the molded polymer material at least partially encapsulates a side of the display stack.

12 . The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein the support frame is formed of metal.

13 . The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein:

the mobile phone further comprises an opaque coating structure positioned on a peripheral portion of the interior surface of the front cover and defining an opaque border around an active area of the display stack; and

the frame member is bonded to the opaque coating structure.

14 . The mobile phone of claim 13 , wherein:

the frame member is bonded to a first portion of the opaque coating structure; and

a portion of the display stack is coupled to a second portion of the opaque coating structure.

15 . A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing component defining:

a portion of a side exterior surface of the portable electronic device; and

a mounting surface within an interior volume of the portable electronic device;

a front cover assembly coupled to the housing component and comprising:

a front cover defining an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite to the exterior surface;

a display stack coupled to a first portion of the interior surface of the front cover;

a coating structure positioned on a second portion of the interior surface of the front cover, the second portion extending about a periphery of the first portion and comprising:

an opaque mask coupled to the front cover; and

an outer layer coupled to the opaque mask;

a molded frame member bonded to the outer layer of the coating structure and at least partially encapsulating a peripheral side of the display stack, the molded frame member adhered to the mounting surface of the housing component, thereby coupling the front cover assembly to the housing component.

16 . The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:

the molded frame member is bonded to a first portion of the outer layer of the coating structure; and

the display stack is coupled to a second portion of the outer layer of the coating structure.

17 . The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the outer layer comprises a transparent coating layer.

18 . The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:

the front cover assembly further comprises a support frame coupled to the display stack and defining a set of engagement features; and

the molded frame member encapsulates at least a portion of the support frame and engages the set of engagement features.

19 . The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:

the display stack comprises a flexible circuit element, the flexible circuit element defining a loop portion extending from a side of the display stack; and

the molded frame member rigidly encapsulates the loop portion.

20 . The portable electronic device of claim 19 , wherein:

the molded frame member comprises a light-cured polymer material that absorbs light within a wavelength range; and

the loop portion is optically transmissive within the wavelength range.