New patent shows Apple foldable iPhone or iPad has a flexible case

A patent granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday shows that a foldable iPhone or iPad produced by Apple Inc. can include a flexible case that protects the screen and hardware of a mobile device while also meeting the strict requirements of opening and closing. In the patent, Apple suggests using a flexible cover layer and a flexible display layer that are coupled to each other within the same device. The two layers are configured to be able to move between two different configurations when folded and unfolded, with the cover layer that bends at a particular point called the "foldable area".

The foldable area of ​​the cover can be created using ceramic materials such as glass, metal oxide ceramics or other ceramic materials. In some cases, the cover layer may consist of a continuous layer of ceramic material, providing an impact or scratch resistant surface. The continuous layer portion may be processed to have a variable thickness so that it can be folded at a specific point. This may also include adding bump features on the inside or outside to allow the material to move and filling the softer material to provide some support while still maintaining ductility.
Similar relief features can be added to the substrate of the display, enabling it to fold along specific lines. Similarly, to maintain strength, a transparent filler can be added to the relief cut, but the material must have an optical refractive index that matches the refractive index of the substrate. In short, this is a glass substrate with an embossed portion filled with transparent plastic or silicon dioxide. The relief structure and filler are used to cope with compressive stress. The relief removes the material and leaves space, which allows the screen to move more freely.
Apple submits a large number of patent applications every week, but the patent cannot guarantee its appearance in the final product or service, but it does indicate that Apple has been developing development work related to folding displays.