Electronic device with a flexible display

• US 8,654,519 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creator Technology BV
• Inventors: Visser, Hendrik Dirk, Walters, Michael Johannes Anna Maria, Hamers, Johannes Cornelis Adriaan, Huitema, Hjalmar Edzer Ayco
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/744,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.21, 361/679.26, 361/679.3, 361/679.56, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/575.9
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/30 the display elements being fed one by one from storage place to a display position
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic apparatus 10 comprising with a flexible display 2, which may be extendable from a housing 5 upon use. In accordance with the invention, the edge portions 3 are provided with an edge protector having an upper surface P1 and a lower surface P2, said edge protector being comprised of segments 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, which may be interconnected by hinges 9a, 9b, 9c. The segments of the edge protector are arranged above and below the edge portions of the flexible display 2 and are preferably displaceable during translation of the flexible display from a collapsed to an extended state and back. Preferably, the hinges 9a, 9b, 9c are arranged for enabling a vertical V and/or a horizontal H displacement of the segments. The segmented edge protector is arranged for being moved together with the display and to be stored together with it, so that the segments 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d substantially do not loose contact with the edge portion during storage.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a roller;

a flexible display arranged to be alternated between a collapsed state and an extended state, said flexible display comprising edge portions and being further provided with an edge protector cooperating with the edge portions, wherein

said edge protector is configured to be alternated between a collapsed state and an extended state and comprises a plurality of segments, said electronic device further comprising a mechanism configured to cooperate with said segments for spatially ordering the segments at least in said extended state, arranged such that the edge protector, the mechanism and the flexible display are wound around the roller in the collapsed state.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the segments comprise rigid portions interconnected by hinges.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the segments are displaceable in a direction transverse to a direction of collapsing or extending.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the segments are shaped for receiving at least a part of the edge portion of the flexible display.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the segments are interconnected to form a U-, L- or C-shaped structure for receiving at least a part of the edge portion of the flexible display.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the segments are interconnected below a surface of the flexible display.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the segments form a protective sheath, the protective sheath protecting a back surface of the display.

8. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the mechanism comprises a curved strip of a substantially rigid material capable of rolling, said strip being arranged in a portion of the segment configured for receiving the edge portion of the flexible display.

9. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the hinges are flexible.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism comprises an elastic body cooperating with a spring.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the spring is releasably arranged for inducing pre-tension on the elastic body.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the elastic body comprises an elongated body.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism comprises a set of magnets arranged on individual segments for spatially ordering the segments by means of attractive magnetic force.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the magnets are arranged on a leading edge and a trailing edge of each segment for enabling a generation of the attractive force between a magnet of a preceding segment and a magnet of a following segment.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the segments are symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis and are rotatable about a point positioned on said axis, said magnets being arranged at both sides with respect to said axis.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the trailing edge and the leading edge of the segments are V-shaped, said point being positioned substantially at an origin of the V-shape.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the magnets are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis.