Foldable Display Device

• US 20190073002A1
• Filed: 10/13/2017
• Published: 03/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: WU, Zhongbao, DU, Zhihong
• Granted Patent: US 10,509,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel

Abstract

The present application discloses a foldable display device, comprising a flexible screen and a support backplane cooperating therewith, the support backplane includes a first support plate and a second support plate hinged therewith by a rotary shaft system; a tension releasing mechanism is disposed at the first support plate or the second support plate, the flexible screen has a first end connected to the first support plate or the second support plate, and a second end opposite thereto, the second end is connected to the tension releasing mechanism, such that the second end of the flexible screen is slidable along a corresponding support plate between a first position in which the foldable display device is in an outward bending state and a second position in which the foldable display device is in a deployed state, and between the second position and a third position in which the foldable display device is in an inward bending state. This foldable display device can prevent the screen from damage as much as possible by providing a tension releasing mechanism.

Claims

1. A foldable display device, including a flexible screen and a support backplane cooperating with the flexible screen, the support backplane includes a first support plate and a second support plate hinged with the first support plate by a rotary shaft system, wherein a tension releasing mechanism is disposed at the first support plate or the second support plate, the flexible screen has a first end connected to the first support plate or the second support plate, and a second end opposite to the first end, the second end is connected to the tension releasing mechanism, such that the second end of the flexible screen is slidable along a corresponding support plate between a first position in which the foldable display device is in an outward bending state and a second position in which the foldable display device is in a deployed state, and between the second position and a third position in which the foldable display device is in an inward bending state.

2. The foldable display device according to claim 1, wherein the tension releasing mechanism is disposed at the second support plate, and includes a sliding member arranged between the flexible screen and the second support plate, at least one guide groove extending through the thickness of the second support plate and extending longitudinally along the second support plate, and at least one pre-tightening member arranged at the side of the flexible screen opposite to the second support plate, wherein the sliding member is connected with the at least one pre-tightening member and slidable along the at least one guide groove.

3. The foldable display device according to claim 2, wherein the first end of the flexible screen is a fixed end connected fixedly to the first support plate, and the second end thereof is a movable end connected to the sliding member, the sliding member is a plate-like member.

4. The foldable display device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one guide groove includes three guide grooves evenly spaced from each other in a transverse direction of the second support plate;

the side of the sliding member facing the second support plate is provided with three bending parts;

the at least one pre-tightening member includes three pre-tightening members, wherein the three bending parts extend through the three guide grooves respectively and are connected with the three pre-tightening members respectively.

5. The foldable display device according to claim 4, wherein the three pre-tightening members include a first pre-tightening member connected with the bending part of the sliding member extending through a middle guide groove, and two second pre-tightening members connected with two bending parts of the sliding member extending through two side guide grooves.

6. The foldable display device according to claim 5, wherein the first pre-tightening member is an elastic member, one end of which is fixed to the second support plate and the other end of which is connected to the first bending part.

7. The foldable display device according to claim 6, wherein the elastic member may be made of memory alloys or rubber materials.

8. The foldable display device according to claim 5, wherein the second pre-tightening member is composed of a guide post and a spring sleeved onto the guide post, wherein both ends of the guide post are fixed to the second support plate respectively, and one end of the spring is connected to the second bending part.

9. The foldable display device according to claim 1, wherein the foldable display device is further provided with a first back cover extending along the first support plate and a second back cover extending along the second support plate.

10. The foldable display device according to claim 1, wherein a protective sleeve is further provided, and the protective sleeve extends along the support back plate and is made of a flexible material.