ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING FLEXIBLE DISPLAY

• US 20190317550A1
• Filed: 04/09/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Jungjin, KIM, Gidae, PARK, Jungsik, PARK, Hongsik, NA, Hyoseok, CHOI, Jongchul
• Granted Patent: US 11,003,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3278 Power saving in modem or I/O interface
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device including a flexible display. The electronic device may include a first structure including a first plate, the first plate including a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite the first surface, a second structure including a second plate facing the second surface of the first plate and a first side wall extending from the second plate, a flexible touch screen display, and a camera device arranged between the first structure and the second structure.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first structure including a first plate, the first plate including a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite the first surface;

a second structure including a second plate facing the second surface of the first plate and a first side wall extending from the second plate,

wherein the first structure is configured to be movable between an open state and a closed state with respect to the second structure in a first direction with respect to the second plate wherein the first structure is located at a first distance from the first side wall in the closed state of the first structure and the first structure is located at a second distance greater than the first distance from the first side wall in the open state of the first structure;

a flexible touch screen display; and

a camera device arranged between the first structure and the second structure,

wherein the flexible touch screen display comprises;

a planar portion extending across at least a portion of the first surface and mounted on the first surface, the planar portion having a first width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

a bendable portion extending from the planar portion and located in a space between the first side wall and the first structure in the closed state of the first structure,

wherein the bendable portion includes a first portion extending from one end of the planar portion and having a width equal to the first width,

wherein, based on the first structure transitioning from the closed state to the open state, the first portion of the bendable portion viewed from above the first plate is configured to be drawn from the space between the first side wall and the first structure to form a substantially planar surface between the planar portion and the first side wall, and

wherein the camera device is configured to rotate to face at least one of the first structure or the second structure based on the state transition of the first structure.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a rollable module comprising a roller arranged between the first structure and the second structure and configured to move the first structure in the first direction with respect to the second structure,

wherein the camera device includes;

a shaft having one end connected to an area of the rollable module;

a gear through which the shaft passes; and

a camera module arranged on an end opposite the one end of the shaft and coupled with the gear.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the rollable module includes a multi-joint rail extending in the first direction, and

wherein the gear is arranged to be engaged with the multi joint rail.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the multi-joint rail is configured to move in the first direction corresponding to a movement of the first structure in the first direction, and

wherein a location of the camera device is changed relative to the multi-joint rail based on the multi-joint rail being moved.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the gear is configured to rotate on the multi-joint rail corresponding to the movement of the multi joint rail while being engaged with the multi joint rail.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the location of the camera module is configured to change based on the rotation of the gear.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the camera device is located at a first position with respect to the multi joint rail based on the first structure being in the closed state.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the camera module includes at least one lens arranged in an area, and

wherein the at least one lens is positioned toward an upper side of the first structure based on the camera device being located at the first position.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first plate includes a first aperture configured to support a view angle of the at least one lens toward a first area corresponding to the camera device in the first position.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the flexible touch screen display includes at least one conductive line arranged to avoid at least a portion of the camera module and/or to not overlap at least a portion of the camera module in a second area of the planar portion corresponding to the camera device in the first position.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the camera device is located at a second position spaced apart from the first position by a distance that the first structure moves from the first position while transitioning to the open state with respect to the multi-joint rail based on the first structure being in the open state.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one lens is positioned toward a lower side of the second structure based on the camera device being located at the second position.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the second plate includes a second aperture configured to support a view angle of the at least one lens toward a third area corresponding to the camera device in the second position.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising:

a window cover arranged below the second structure configured to shield an opening in the second plate,

wherein the window cover includes a third aperture configured to support a view angle of the at least one lens toward a fourth area corresponding to the camera device in the second position.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the third aperture is shielded with a substantially transparent material.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a first plate;

a second plate arranged below the first plate;

a rollable module comprising a roller arranged between the first and second plates and configured to move the first plate with respect to the second plate in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction;

a camera device arranged between the first and second plates and including at least one lens in an area; and

a flexible touch screen display having at least a part configured to be guided by the rollable module to extend from an upper side of the first plate to between the rollable module and the second plate,

wherein the camera device is located at a first position with respect to the rollable module based on the first plate being in a closed state with respect to the second plate,

wherein the at least one lens is located toward the upper side of the first plate,

wherein the camera device is located at a second position with respect to the rollable module based on the first plate moving in the first direction in the closed state and being in an open state with respect to the second plate, and

wherein the at least one lens is located toward a lower side of the second plate.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the rollable module includes a multi-joint rail extending in the first or second direction,

wherein the camera device includes:

a shaft having one end connected to an area of the rollable module;

a gear through which the shaft passes, the gear being engaged with the multi-joint rail; and

a camera module arranged on an end opposite the one end of the shaft and coupled with the gear.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the multi-joint rail is configured to move in a moving direction of the first plate corresponding to a movement of the first plate,

wherein a location of the camera device is changed relative to the multi-joint rail based on the multi-joint rail being moved.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the gear is configured to be rotated on the multi-joint rail corresponding to the movement of the multi-joint rail while being engaged with the multi-joint rail.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the flexible touch screen display includes:

a planar portion arranged over the first plate;

a bendable portion extending from the planar portion to between the rollable module and the second plate; and

at least one conductive line arranged to avoid at least a portion of the camera module and/or to not overlap the at least a portion of the camera module in a first area of the planar portion corresponding to the camera device in the first position.