Flexible Information Handling System Display External Hinge Structure

• US 20190033925A1
• Filed: 09/18/2018
• Published: 01/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Hong, Jung Hwan, Choi, Duck Soo, Morrison, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,429,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 1/00 Pinless hinges; Substitutes for hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0054 Covers, e.g. for protection
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/00 Hinges or pivots of special construction used for special suspension arrangements E05D15/00; so as to be self-closing E05F1/06, E05F1/12; with means for raising wings before being turned E05F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683

Abstract

An information handling system having rotationally coupled housing portions supports a flexible display disposed across the housing portions with a hinge structure that manages flexible display curve radius in a folded configuration. The hinge includes plural hinge elements having an arc face, arc cavity interior and mounts that couple with hinge coupling elements. The mounts align the hinge coupling element rotational axis out of the cavity to aid in maintaining the hinge elements having no gaps during rotation of the information handling system housing portions. The hinge coupling element integrates friction plates disposed normal the rotation axis to generate torque for managing housing rotational movement.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for rotationally coupling information handling system housing portions having a flexible display, the method comprising:

rotationally coupling first and second housing portions to each other with plural hinges;

disposing a flexible display frame over the first and second housing portions, the flexible display frame supporting a flexible display aligned to bend in response to rotation of the first and second housing portions between planar and closed configurations; and

biasing the display frame to slide relative to the housing portion in response to rotation of the housing portions relative to each other.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein biasing the display frame further comprises:

coupling a portion of the display frame proximate the first housing portion to the second housing portion; and

translating relative motion of the second housing portion related to rotation into sliding of the display frame relative to the first housing portion.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein biasing the display frame further comprises:

coupling a portion of the display frame proximate the second housing portion to the first housing portion; and

translating relative motion of the first housing portion related to rotation into sliding of the display frame relative to the second housing portion.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the coupling a portion further comprises coupling a wire between the display frame and second housing portion.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the biasing further comprises applying a spring in tension to the display frame relative to the housing portions, the spring in tension applying a sliding force coordinated with sliding of the display frame relative to the housing portions induced by rotation of the housing portions.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the biasing further comprises introducing a sliding force to the display frame relative to one or more of the housing portions with a roller coupled at an end of one of the housing portions distal the plural hinges.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein biasing further comprises:

detecting sliding motion of the display frame relative to the one of the housing portions; and

in response to the detecting, releasing the sliding force from the roller.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein biasing further comprises:

detecting rotational motion of the hinge; and

in response to the detecting, releasing the sliding force from the roller.

29. An information handling system display frame structure comprising:

first and second display frames;

an OLED film disposed over the first and second display frames and configured to bend in response to rotation of the first and second display frames relative to each other; and

a biasing device interfaced with at least one of the display frames, the biasing device providing a sliding force to the at least one of the display frames relative to a housing of the information handling system in response to one or more predetermined conditions.

30. The information handling system display frame structure of claim 29 further comprising a shape memory alloy support disposed between the first and second display frames and configured to manage the OLED film bend radius during rotation of the first and second display frames relative to each other.

31. The information handling system display frame structure of claim 29 further comprising a motion detector interfaced with the biasing device, the one or more predetermined conditions comprising detection of motion of the display frame structure relative to the housing of the information handling system.