Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple another foldable device patent.

Apple notes that in general, a foldable electronic device can be folded to accommodate a variety of form factors. For example, a foldable electronic device may be used in an unfolded configuration to allow use of an entire display area. The foldable electronic device may also be used in a folded configuration, which may have a more compact size and may also provide a smaller display area. A foldable electronic device may be configured to allow multiple folds to provide multiple display arrangements for the electronic device. In some cases, the electronic device can be partially or wholly unfolded to adjust the size of the viewable display area.

Apple's patent FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrated below respectively illustrate a device in open and closed configurations.

In Apple's patent FIG. 4A above we're able to see device #400 in a fully folded or closed configuration. In the fully folded or closed configuration, roughly two thirds of the display layer #420 is viewable along the first region #481 and second region #482 of the device.

Every update to Apple's patent is covered by new patent claims that add new facets of the inventions that Apple wants to protect for their future foldable devices. Below are just a few of the 20 new claims:

Added Patent Claims In-Part

Claim 1. A portable electronic device comprising: a touch-sensitive display; a battery; a foldable enclosure enclosing the touch-sensitive display and the battery, the foldable enclosure comprising: a front cover positioned over the touch-sensitive display and including a chemically strengthened glass layer defining: a first region positioned over a first portion of the touch-sensitive display; a second region positioned over a second portion of the touch-sensitive display; and a foldable region positioned over a third portion of the touch-sensitive display between the first and the second portions of the touch-sensitive display, the foldable enclosure configured to: in a folded configuration: define a first graphical output using the first portion of the touch-sensitive display and viewable along a front of the portable electronic device; define a second graphical output using the second portion of the touch-sensitive display and viewable along a rear of the portable electronic device opposite to the front; and define a third graphical output using the third portion of the touch-sensitive display and viewable along a side of the portable electronic device extending between the front and the rear; and in an unfolded configuration, define a fourth graphical output using the first, second, and third portions of the touch-sensitive display.

Claim 2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the chemically strengthened glass layer at the foldable region defines a relief feature comprising a locally thinned region; and the foldable region further comprises a filler disposed in the relief feature and optically matched to the chemically strengthened glass layer.

Claim 3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the chemically strengthened glass layer is formed of an aluminosilicate glass.

Claim 7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the chemically strengthened glass layer is configured to produce compressive stresses on the outside of a bend in the foldable region. 

To review the full details of this invention and new claims, check out granted patent 12174671.