Non-rigid mounting of a foldable display

• US 6,577,496 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Masamichi, Udagawa, Lam, Lawrence, Gioscia, Rich
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US09/766,176
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/683, 361/682, 361/686, 361/687, 345/156, 345/158, 345/159, 345/121, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/901, 345/905, 345/32, 345/85, 345/58, 348/734, 348/818, 359/742, 359/474, 359/472, 359/477, 359/230, 340/825.79, 340/825.71, 364/186, 364/189, 364/708.1, 364/709.1, 364/709-1-7, 455/344, 455/556, 455/566, 455/557, 455/550, 455/553, 455/572, 455/574, 455/575, 455/347, 455/351, 455/158.4, 455/90, 455/128, 379/433, 379/434, 379/438, 379/447, 379/428, 379/440
• US Class Current: 361/679.3
• 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 1/1641 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 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

A foldable display device coupled to a non-rigid support mechanism movable between an unfolded and a folded position. In one embodiment, the e-ink display device is dual sided and both sides can display information as well as accept touch screen commands. One side of the display device is used in the unfolded position and the opposite side is used in the folded position. In the unfolded position, the display device has a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) form factor, and the entire area of one side of the display device is viewable. The display device is supported within the non-rigid support mechanism such that it lies in a flat plane in the unfolded position, and there is no loss of viewable area due to folding of the display device. The two sides of the non-rigid support mechanism are coupled for movement between a folded and an unfolded position and the display device is folded in a bend radius that precludes any disruption to the display area. Moving the support mechanism from the unfolded position to the folded position folds the display device about an axis that divides the display device into two equal rectangles. In the folded position, the display device has a candy bar form factor useful in cell phone applications, and the viewable area is about one half that of the PDA form factor used in the unfolded position. The non-rigid support mechanism holds the viewable area of the display device in a flat plane in the folded position.

Claims

1. A non-rigid mounting of a foldable display screen comprising:

a supporting structure having at least one hinge mechanism;

said supporting structure foldable about said hinge mechanism between a folded and an unfolded position; and

said foldable display screen coupled to said supporting structure, said foldable display screen coupled to said hinge mechanism, wherein said foldable display screen is foldable into both said folded and said unfolded positions.

2. A non-rigid mounting of a foldable display screen according to claim 1 wherein said display screen is dual sided for displaying information on both sides of said display screen.

3. A non-rigid mounting of a foldable display screen according to claim 1 wherein said hinge mechanism provides for folding said display screen with a bend radius that eliminates any crease, fold or bend of said display screen in both said folded and said unfolded positions.

4. A non-rigid mounting of a foldable display screen according to claim 1 wherein a viewable area of said display screen is held in a flat plane by said supporting structure in both said folded and said unfolded positions.

5. A non-rigid mounting of a foldable display screen according to claim 1 wherein said display screen has a candy bar form factor in said folded position and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) form factor in said unfolded position.

6. A foldable display comprising:

a flexible display screen;

a hinged support mechanism comprising at least one hinge mechanism;

means for coupling said flexible display screen and said hinge mechanism; and

means for coupling said flexible display screen and said hinged support mechanism, wherein

moving said hinged support mechanism from an unfolded position to a folded position results in folding said flexible display screen in half.

7. A foldable display according to claim 6 wherein said display screen is dual sided for displaying information on both sides of said display screen.

8. A foldable display according to claim 6 wherein said hinged support mechanism provides for folding said display screen with a bend radius that eliminates any crease, fold or bend of said display screen in both said folded and said unfolded positions.

9. A foldable display according to claim 6 wherein said display screen is coupled along the length of said hinged support mechanism.

10. A foldable display according to claim 6 wherein said display screen has a candy bar form factor in said folded position and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) form factor in said unfolded position.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a flexible display screen;

a supporting structure for supporting said flexible display screen on a first side and along two edges of said flexible display screen; and

a hinge mechanism disposed along a center axis of said supporting structure allowing said supporting structure to fold about its center axis between an open state and a closed state, said hinge mechanism attached to a central axis of said first side of said flexible display screen and wherein said flexible display screens folds in like fashion with said supporting structure.

12. An electronic device as described in claim 11 and wherein said flexible display screen is a double sided display screen.

13. An electronic device as described in claim 12 wherein said flexible display screen is of e-ink technology.

14. An electronic device as described in claim 11 wherein said supporting structure supports said two edges of said flexible display screen using a non-rigid supporting mechanism.

15. An electronic device as described in claim 14 wherein said non-rigid supporting mechanism comprises a separate rail for each of said two edges of said flexible display screen allowing said edges freedom of movement between said closed and said open state while holding said flexible display screen substantially flat.

16. An electronic device as described in claim 11 wherein said hinge structure provides a folding radius for said flexible display screen such that said flexible display screen does not crease in said folded state.

17. An electronic device as described in claim 11 wherein said electronic device has a candy bar form factor when in said closed state.

18. An electronic device as described in claim 11 wherein said electronic device has a personal digital assistant (PDA) form factor when in said open state.

19. An electronic device as described in claim 11 wherein said flexible display screen is a single contiguous display element without display screen separations along its central axis.

20. A method of coupling a flexible display screen and a non-rigid structure said method comprising:

coupling said flexible display screen to said non-rigid structure having a folded position and an unfolded position, said non-rigid structure comprising at least one hinge mechanism; and

coupling said flexible display screen to said hinge mechanism, wherein moving said hinge mechanism from said unfolded position to said folded position results in folding said flexible display device in half.

21. A method of coupling a flexible display screen and a non-rigid structure according to claim 20 wherein said non-rigid structure further includes flexible folding structure providing means for said folded and said unfolded positions.

22. A method of coupling a flexible display screen and a non-rigid structure according to claim 20 wherein said flexible display screen is dual sided for displaying information on both sides of said flexible display screen.

23. A method of coupling a flexible display screen and a non-rigid structure according to claim 20 wherein said flexible display screen has a candy bar form factor in said folded position.

24. A method of coupling a flexible display screen and a non-rigid structure according to claim 20 wherein said flexible display screen has a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) form factor in said unfolded position.