May 10, 2023 – Apple has recently been granted a new patent for a foldable phone with a self-healing feature, according to a new list published by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The most striking aspect of the patent is that it allows the fold marks on the screen to self-repair by applying external heat, light, electric current, or other types of external stimuli.
Apple envisions a future device equipped with a hinge that allows the device to fold. The screen in the hinge area is covered with a flexible screen layer that can be inserted between the first and second rigid parts of the display cover layer.
The patent describes how the electronic device’s display cover layer may be scratched or dented, and to improve the device’s aesthetics, a self-healing material layer is introduced into the screen cover layer. This layer can be formed across the entire display cover layer or only in the flexible area of the display cover layer. The display cover layer can also include an elastic layer in the flexible area to increase flexibility.
The self-healing process can be actively initiated or accelerated through external stimuli such as heat, light, electric current, or other types of external stimuli. This technology may have the potential to be applied in future foldable devices, providing consumers with a more durable and aesthetically pleasing product experience.
