Electronic device with a variable angulation of a flexible display

• US 8,477,464 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creator Technology BV
• Inventors: Visser, Hendrik Dirk, Walters, Michael Johannes Anna Maria, Bemelmans, David Johannes Elisabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US12/664,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20100208417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.05, 361/679.27
• US Class Current: 361/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• 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 1/1656 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 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• 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 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed that comprises a housing 81 and a flexible display, which may have respective portions 82a, 82b, 82c and 82d. The portions may be accommodated between respective hinges 84a, 84b, 84c, 84d, which are arranged as a mechanism for enabling a transition between the first mechanically stable position and a second mechanically stable position. The display is viewed from a direction 85. The hinges are operated independently from each other, enabling a plurality of angulations of the flexible display with respect to the housing 81.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a flexible display adapted to be displaceable with respect to the housing, said flexible display having a first mechanically stable position and a second mechanically stable position, wherein said first mechanically stable position and said second mechanically stable position are enabled for different angulations of the flexible display or portions of the flexible display with respect to the housing; and

a mechanism arranged for enabling a transition between said first mechanically stable position and said second mechanically stable position, comprising;

a first portion having a first hinge point, a second hinge point, and a rigid arched segment disposed between said first and second hinge points; and

a second portion hinged to each of said first and second hinge points for facilitating said first mechanically stable position and said second mechanically stable position of the flexible display,

arranged such that during said first mechanically stable position of the flexible display, a portion of said flexible display is partially stored in said arched segment of the first portion and forms a curvilinear configuration, and during said second mechanically stable position of said flexible display, said portion of the flexible display leaves said arched segment and forms a planar configuration supported by said second portions.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism is arranged for enabling said flexible display having an intermediate position, between said first mechanically stable position and said second mechanically stable position, and said mechanism is arranged to cooperate with an elastic locking unit so as to keep said flexible display in a stable arrangement.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the flexible display is arranged to be pivoted with respect to the housing, said display or housing comprising a recess, and the elastic locking unit comprising an elastic material arranged to be compressed at least to partially fill the recess.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible display is arranged to be pivoted about a shaft, the mechanism being arranged with a spring cooperating with the shaft and being arranged to enable the transition between the first mechanically stable position and the second mechanically stable position.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible display is slidably arranged with respect to the housing using a frame, the module comprising a tension spring cooperating with the frame.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible display is adapted to be moved between an at least partially retracted state and an at least partially extended state, said partially retracted state and said partially extended state being implemented either for the first mechanically stable position or for the second mechanically stable position.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one mechanically stable position is arranged for enabling data input into the device.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises an illumination unit arranged to cooperate with the flexible display arranged in a first mechanically stable position or in a second mechanically stable position.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first viewing position or the second viewing position is arranged to enable at least a partial viewing mode.