Foldable electronic device and a flexible display device

• US 7,714,801 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kimmel, Jyrki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US11/030,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.3, 345/4, 345/169, 345/173, 345/156, 345/903, 345/108, 349/58, 361/681
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• 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 1/1652 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: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/903 Modular display

Abstract

An electronic device, which comprises: at least two parts foldable in relation to each other, which can be turned into a first position and into a second position around a rotation axis; and a flexible display device, which extends over at least two foldable parts, covering them either entirely or partly. The flexible display device comprises: a folded position, to which the display device settles in the first position, and in which it folds around a first direction, which is parallel in relation to the rotation axis; and a curved position, to which the display device settles in the second position, and in which it curves around a second direction, which is transverse in relation to the rotation axis. A flexible display device can also be used with an electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

at least two parts foldable in relation to each other between a first position and a second position around a rotation axis,

a flexible display device, which extends over at least said two said foldable parts, covering them either entirely or partly, wherein said flexible display device comprises;

a folded position, to which said flexible display device settles in said first position, and in which said flexible display device folds around a first direction, wherein said first direction is parallel in relation to said rotation axis; and

a curved position, to which said flexible display device settles in said second position, and in which said flexible display device curves around a second direction, wherein said second direction is transverse in relation to said rotation axis, wherein said curved position is an open position of said flexible display device to which said flexible display device tends to move and in which said flexible display device tends to remain when said electronic device is in said second position.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the display device in addition folds around a third direction, which is parallel in relation to said rotation axis.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said curved position is a preferred position, to which said display device tends to move by itself and to remain there.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the electronic device further comprises at least one organ, which is arranged to provide a stimulus to said display device in order for it to move to said preferred position.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said curved position is either convex or concave.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises at least one organ, which is arranged to either push or pull said display device to said curved position.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises at least one organ, which is arranged to either pull or push said display device from said curved position to a straightened position, wherein folding said display device is possible.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises a hinge structure and wherein said flexible display device extends over said hinge structure.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises a hinge structure, to which is placed at least one organ, which is arranged to provide a stimulus to said display device in order for it to move to said folded position and/or to said curved position.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises at least one electrically operating actuator, which is arranged to either push or pull said display device to said curved position.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said foldable part is settled between said display device when said display device is in said folded position.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said foldable part is settled between two said foldable parts when said parts are in said first position.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least two said foldable parts are settled sequentially when said parts are in said second position.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the angle between two said foldable parts is less than 180°

and said flexible display is settled in said curved position over them and angled in relation to them.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein said electronic device is a wireless terminal or a mobile phone.

16. A flexible display device for an electronic device comprising:

a folded closed position, to which said flexible display device folds around a first direction, wherein said first direction is parallel in relation to a rotational axis of the electronic device when said electronic device is in a first position, and

a curved open position, to which said flexible display device curves around a second direction, wherein said second direction is transverse in relation to said rotation axis, wherein said curved open position is an open position of said flexible display device to which said flexible display device tends to move and in which said flexible display device tends to remain when said electronic device is in a second position.

17. The flexible display device according to claim 16, wherein said curved position is a preferred position, to which said display device tends to move by itself and to remain there.

18. The flexible display device according to claim 17, wherein said folded position is also a preferred position, to which said display device tends to move by itself and to remain there.

19. The flexible display device according to claim 16, wherein said flexible display device is in said folded position folded twofold.

20. The flexible display device according to claim 16, wherein said flexible display device is arranged for an electronic device, which comprises at least two parts foldable in relation to each other and around a rotation axis, wherein said flexible display device is arranged to extend over at least two foldable parts of said electronic device, covering them either entirely or partly.