Electronic device comprising a flexible display with edge protectors

• US 8,493,726 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creator Technology BV
• Inventors: Visser, Hendrik Dirk, Hamers, Johannes Cornelis Adriaan, Walters, Michael Johannes Anna Maria, Bemelmans, David Johannes Elisabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Zachary M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US12/597,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20100246113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 361/679.08, 361/679.09, 361/679.3, 36167955-67959, 345/156, 345/157, 345/168, 345/169
• US Class Current: 361/679.3
• 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: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device 60 comprising a flexible display arranged to be alternated between a collapsed state and an extended state, said flexible display comprising edge portions, the flexible display being further provided with an edge protector cooperating with the edge portions, wherein the edge protector is conceived to be alternated between a collapsed state and an extended state. In the electronic device 60a the flexible display 65 is conceived to be wound about a roller 61. The edge protector comprises rigid segments 63a, 63b, 63c, 62a, 62b, 62c, 62c interconnected by suitable means 64a, 64b, 64c. Wiring, pins, bars may be used for interconnecting means 64a, 64b, 64c. In the embodiment 60a an extended position of the edge protector is shown. In the embodiment 60b a collapsed state of the edge protector is shown comprising aggregations of segments 62′, 62″. The bars 64a, 64b, 64c partly protect the back surface of the display. The invention further relates to the electronic device comprising a flexible display wherein the flexible display is provided with an edge protector attached at least partially to the edge portions of the flexible display.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a flexible display arranged to be alternated between a collapsed state and an extended state, the flexible display comprising a first and a second edge portion extending continuously in a first direction on opposite sides thereof;

a first edge protector comprising a plurality of rigid segments adjacently disposed along the first edge portion in the first direction; and

a second edge protector comprising a plurality of rigid segments adjacently disposed along the second edge portion in the first direction;

wherein adjacently disposed rigid segments are connected by a hinge so as to be foldable along the first direction, and wherein the first and the second edge protector are arranged such that when the plurality of rigid segments are folded, the flexible display between the first and the second edge protector is in the collapsed state.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of rigid segments comprises at least one flexible portion conceived to be deformed during collapsing or extending the flexible display.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rigid segments are u-shaped for receiving at least a part of the corresponding first or second edge portion of the flexible display.

4. An electronic device according to claim 2, the flexible display being housed in a cover arranged to be wrappable around a body of the electronic device, the cover comprising said plurality of rigid segments provided with at least one flexible portion arranged at a position of cover deformation.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the edge protector is arranged with a substantially rigid wire abutting a side face of the flexible display.

6. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for providing a substantially parallel guidance to the flexible display during collapsing and/or extending.

7. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible device is arranged to be wound around a roller when in a collapsed state.

8. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising means for protecting a back surface of the flexible display.

9. An electronic display according to claim 8, wherein said means for protecting a back surface of the flexible display comprises a mechanism provided on the first and the second edge protector for providing a substantially parallel guidance to the flexible display during collapsing and/or extending, or a complementary roller comprising a protective material and being arranged to stretch the layer of protective material in synchronization with extension of the flexible display from the roller.

10. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in the extended state, each hinge of the first edge protector is disposed in alignment with a corresponding hinge of the second edge protector.