Flexible roll-up information handling system

• US 10,488,959 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Aurongzeb, Deeder M., Morrison, Jason Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fox, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US14/932,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A flexible roll-up information handling system may include two chassis bodies that are connected using two scissor hinges for opening and closing. A coiled flexible display may be provided at an external surface for operation by a user, and may be rolled up in one of the chassis bodies, while being fixed to the other chassis body. The scissor hinges may be adjusted to provide friction to balance the closing force of the coiled flexible display, which may include a steel spring backing layer.

Claims

1. A portable information handling system, comprising:

a coiled flexible display comprising a spring layer and a display layer bonded together, wherein at least a portion of the coiled flexible display is accessible at an external surface of the portable information handling system;

a first chassis body for receiving a coil bushing attached to a first end of the coiled flexible display, the coil bushing enabled to roll up the coiled flexible display around the coil bushing;

a second chassis body for receiving a second end of the coiled flexible display attached to the second chassis body;

a magnetic touch sensor included by the display layer to detect a change in stress in the display layer that indicates a degree of separation between the first chassis body and the second chassis body; and

a display adapter to adjust a size of a user interface provided on the display layer that is based on the degree of separation.

2. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the display layer includes touch sensors and wherein the portable information handling system uses the touch sensors to receive touch input from a user.

3. The portable information handling system of claim 2, further comprising:

a cylindrical opening penetrating the coil bushing for receiving a stylus usable to provide the touch input.

4. The portable information handling system of claim 1, further comprising:

two scissor hinges coupled to the first chassis body and the second chassis body, wherein each of the scissor hinges is coupled using two low friction pins respectively to the first chassis body and the second chassis body.

5. The portable information handling system of claim 4, wherein each of the scissor hinges further comprises:

a hinge pin to open and close the scissor hinge, wherein the hinge pin allows for mechanical adjustment of a frictional force to open and close the scissor hinge.

6. The portable information handling system of claim 5, wherein the frictional force is selected to maintain a particular distance of separation between the first chassis body and the second chassis body when the scissor hinge is opened or closed.

7. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the spring layer provides a closing force to rotate the coil bushing and bring the first chassis body and the second chassis body together.

8. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the display layer includes an organic light emitting diode array.

9. The portable information handling system of claim 8, wherein a radius of the coiled bushing is selected to exceed a minimum bending radius for the organic light emitting diode array.

10. The portable information handling system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal sensor that detects a change in temperature of the display that further indicates the degree of separation between the first chassis body and the second chassis body.

11. The portable information handling system of claim 1, further comprising a capacitive touch sensor that detects a change in capacitance of the display that further indicates the degree of separation between the first chassis body and the second chassis body.

12. A display device for a portable information handling system, the display device further comprising:

a coiled flexible display comprising a spring layer and a display layer bonded together, wherein at least a portion of the coiled flexible display is accessible at an external surface of the portable information handling system, wherein the display layer includes touch sensors, and wherein the portable information handling system uses the touch sensors to receive touch input from a user;

a first end of the coiled flexible display attached to a first chassis body for receiving a coil bushing, the coil bushing enabled to roll up the coiled flexible display around the coil bushing;

a second end of the coiled flexible display attached to a second chassis body;

a magnetic touch sensor included by the display layer to detect a change in stress in the display layer that indicates a degree of separation between the first chassis body and the second chassis body; and

a display adapter to adjust a size of a user interface provided on the display layer that is based on the degree of separation.

13. The display device of claim 12, further comprising:

two scissor hinges coupled to the first chassis body and the second chassis body, wherein each of the scissor hinges is coupled using two low friction pins respectively to the first chassis body and the second chassis body.

14. The display device of claim 13, wherein each of the scissor hinges further comprises:

a hinge pin to open and close the scissor hinge, wherein the hinge pin allows for mechanical adjustment of a frictional force to open and close the scissor hinge.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein the frictional force is selected to maintain a particular distance of separation between the first chassis body and the second chassis body when the scissor hinge is opened or closed.

16. The display device of claim 12, wherein the spring layer provides a closing force to rotate the coil bushing and bring the first chassis body and the second chassis body together.

17. The display device of claim 12, further comprising:

a cylindrical opening penetrating the coil bushing for receiving a stylus usable to provide the touch input.

18. The display device of claim 12, wherein the display layer includes an organic light emitting diode array.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein a radius of the coiled bushing is selected to exceed a minimum bending radius for the organic light emitting diode array.